The DA in Steve Tshwete will petition the municipality to act on their promises and attend to the deteriorating state of Nasaret Cemetery (Ward 8). For years, the cemetery has been neglected, leading to numerous issues that significantly affected our community.
During a recent oversight, we found piles of grass and rubbish that was scattered all over. In addition, there are no toilet facilities and running tap water which inconveniences residents that want to use this facility.
It must be noted that the unavailability of ablution blocks and running water at the graveyard poses significant challenges for those who wish to perform certain religious rituals before visiting the graves of their loved ones.
The lack of basic amenities is not only hampering religious practices of our community members, but also diminishing the overall experience of paying respects to the deceased.
The DA has raised these issues in council and engaged with the municipality on a number of occasions. While they promised to do the required maintenance work at the cemetery, this has not been the case.
In the petition, we call on the municipality to urgently attend to these key areas:
- Clean Tap Water – Currently, there is no running water available for visitors.
- Functional Ablution Blocks – The ablution facilities have been vandalized and are inoperable.
- Accessible Pathways – Many of the paving stones have been stolen, making access difficult for visitors.
- Replacement of Stolen Fencing – Approximately 200 meters of clear view fencing has been stolen, leaving the cemetery vulnerable.
- Regular Maintenance – There is a pressing need for continual maintenance, including grass cutting and rubbish removal.
It is unacceptable for the municipality to neglect this facility. The ANC administration needs to acknowledge that the cemetery site is no longer in a suitable state.
The DA in Steve Tshwete will not sit idle and let the ANC run this facility to the ground, through our petition, we will compel them to carry out regular maintenance and prevent further deterioration.