The Ikageng Cemetery has been turned into a playground and footpath by community members living near the cemetery.

School children and elders take shorter routes through the cemetery every day to reach their destinations quicker.

Most disturbing are the vandalised tombstones which are very expensive and an important memorials for families who lost their loved ones.

The cemetery is in dire condition as there are no gates or security guards and it is not maintained by the municipality. An angry community member, Mr Bethuel Mokotedi, went to the cemetery and paid his respects to his ancestors on September 23, when he was shocked at by the condition of the cemetery.

“Where is the respect for the dead? We are paying thousands to bury and erect tombstones for our beloved families. We pay fees to the Tlokwe Municipality for the maintenance and service but this is what we get in return. Ikageng Cemetery is not maintained and looked after compared to the Potchefstroom cemetery.”

The question that many community members want an answer to is ‘Who is responsible for the vandalised tombstones?’ In the former executive mayor, Maphetle Maphetle’s budget speech earlier this year, he stated that council had a budget of more than 1 million to upgrade all the cemeteries, but to date nothing has been done.

By the time of going to print no response had been received from the municipal spokesperson, Mr Willie Maphosa.
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