Pretoria - Empty nyaope packets, piles of rubbish, prostitutes plying their trade and a sea of drugs have become a common sight at Eersterust Cemetery's front office.
On Thursday morning the City of Tshwane took charge and brought what was described as a “hellhole” down. An excavator demolished the long-standing structure.
The City’s Cemetery Services in Region 6 demolished the structure as part of the clean-up and restoration campaign of the cemetery.
The building is believed to be harbouring nyaope addicts who are terrorising members of the community.
The shocking state of the gutted cemetery front office building has led to it becoming a den of crime and drugs, residents say.
Rubbish is scattered inside the four roomed office. Beds, bags, clothes, syringes and beer bottles scattered the floor. What used to be a kitchen now contained washlines of old underwear and torn takkies.
Councillor Benjamin Lawrence said the property had been an issue even before he came to office.
“We have tried to deal with the symptoms of the problem in the only way we can by bringing social workers in as kids live there,” he said.
He said the demolition was one step closer to fighting the terrible scourge of drugs in the neighbourhood.