18/05/2026
Unsafe and negÂlected: Inside Bayâs undigÂniÂfied cemeterÂies
â Sunken graves, vanÂdalÂised tombÂstones and lack of securÂity abound, with floods worsenÂing situÂation
The Herald (South Africa)
Geoff HookÂins hookÂinsg@theherÂald.co.za
18 May 2026
NegÂlect, crime and flood damÂage have turned NelÂson ManÂdela Bayâs cemeterÂies into scenes of devÂastÂaÂtion, where grievÂing famÂilÂies must navÂigÂate sunken graves, stolen tombÂstones and even the threat of robÂbery.
The crisis was thrust into sharp focus last week when a Kariega underÂtaker was arresÂted for allegedly posÂsessÂing stolen tombÂstones â just as recent floods exposed the full extent of decay across burial sites meant to be places of digÂnity and rest.
Recent floodÂing has caused massive damÂage to graves at the Kabah Cemetery in Kariega
On TuesÂday last week, a registered Kariega underÂtaker was arresÂted in posÂsesÂsion of susÂpecÂted stolen tombÂstones after a series of thefts from cemeterÂies over the past five years.
Graves at the PapenÂkuil cemetery in Gelvandale have been damÂaged by floods and vanÂdalÂism
In the days that folÂlowed, a HerÂald team visÂited a numÂber of cemeterÂies and was conÂfronÂted by broken fences, sunken graves and vanÂdalÂised tombÂstones.
In Kariega, the Kabah Cemetery had been badly hit by recent floods.
More than 30 freshly dug graves were covered in soil.
TombÂstones and temÂporÂary crosses stuck out from the mud. Though many of the tombÂstones indicÂated that the deceased had died earlier this year, most of the graves were sunken in.
Clear signs of tombÂstone theft were visÂible throughout, with fragÂments of once finely crafÂted granÂite carvings scattered across the grounds.
One grave from 2012 was so badly damÂaged it looked like it had been dug up.
No securÂity was present as people casÂuÂally walked through an unfenced secÂtion of the graveÂyard.
The MotherÂwell Cemetery was in a someÂwhat betÂter state, though a large herd of cattle roamed the grounds, grazÂing on patches of grass among plastic waste and other litÂter scattered across the site.
There was once again no securÂity present.
At the rear end of the cemetery, a 200m stretch of fenÂcing was missÂing, while a heavÂily polÂluted canal chanÂnelled water into a nearby ravÂine.
In the newer secÂtion of the MotherÂwell Cemetery, grave digÂgers were hard at work prepÂping for upcomÂing buriÂals, but most of the graves around them had also sunken in and flood damÂage was present.
There was simÂilÂarly no securÂity presÂence at the PapenÂkuil Cemetery in StanÂford Road.
NumerÂous graves had sunken in, while many tombÂstones had either been knocked over or vanÂdalÂised.
DamÂaged tombÂstones at the Forest Hill Cemetery
Small secÂtions were missÂing from the periÂmeter fence.
Of the graveÂyards visÂited, the Forest Hill Cemetery appeared to be in the best conÂdiÂtion.
The fenÂcing around the premises was intact, some secÂtions even had barbed wire, and the careÂtakerâs office door was open, indicÂatÂing that someone was on site.
MainÂtenÂance workÂers were hard at work.
Still, no securÂity was present and the reporter and phoÂtoÂgrapher were able to drive in without quesÂtion.
The damÂage observed to some tombÂstones appeared to be related to the adverse weather.
SA Funeral PracÂtiÂtionÂersâ AssoÂciÂation pubÂlic relaÂtions officer Odwa Duru said overÂall the Bayâs cemeterÂies were in tatÂters.
âThey are not well looked after and they are not secured.â
Duru said the issue of cattle grazÂing in cemeterÂies, parÂticÂuÂlarly in MotherÂwell, had been an ongoÂing probÂlem for some time.
âWe tried to have a meetÂing with the ownÂers of the liveÂstock and the muniÂcipÂalÂity.
âThe liveÂstock ownÂers never pitched so they could not respond on the issue.
âMany of the tombÂstones and graves in MotherÂwell have been damÂaged and broken by the liveÂstock.â
Duru said when a funeral proÂcesÂsion tried to enter the MotherÂwell Cemetery, it was often blocked at the gate by a herd of cattle.
âOnce inside, there is little space for people to park because of all the cattle.
âWe canât find the ownÂers so we donât know who to hold responsÂible.â
He said the cattle were able to enter the grounds freely because vanÂdals conÂtinuÂously broke the periÂmeter fence.
âAll these probÂlems need to be dirÂecÂted to the muniÂcipÂalÂity but they donât do anyÂthing about it.â
He said a funÂdaÂmental issue was the lack of securÂity, which was a wideÂspread probÂlem across the metro.
âDurÂing ChristÂmas, Motherâs Day, Fatherâs Day, when people visit the graves of their loved ones, they are robbed.â
Duru said they were aware of a numÂber of famÂilÂies that had been robbed at gunÂpoint.
âOften, when crimÂinÂals steal a car, they take the stolen vehicle to the cemetery to strip it.
âThe rest of the vehicle is then just abanÂdoned there.
âMost of the time, when people want to visit graves, they must first go to the police staÂtion to be escorÂted.
âIf you go to the graveÂyard without a police van, you are at risk.
âWe chanÂnelled all these conÂcerns to the muniÂcipÂalÂity and [the offiÂcials responsÂible] but the muniÂcipÂalÂity said it did not have the budget for at least one securÂity guard at each cemetery.â
Duru said a standÂard grave site purÂchased through the muniÂcipÂalÂity ranged from R1,300 in MotherÂwell and Kariega to R8,000 at PapenÂkuil and R9,500 at Forest Hill.
âThe theft of granÂite tombÂstones is a huge probÂlem.
âIf you bury someone using a double stone, and you bury one perÂson and leave the other side empty, rest assured within a week or two when you go and visit that grave again the part that is empty will have been stolen.â
Duru said a graveÂyard was a sacÂred place culÂturÂally.
âIn our culÂture, we deal with rituals and ancestÂors.
âThe people who are lying there are our ancestÂors, so itâs not a nice thing to see that our people and our own culÂture is being negÂlected by the muniÂcipÂalÂity.â
MuniÂcipal spokesÂperÂson SithemÂbiso SoyÂaya said the metro acknowÂledged the emoÂtional disÂtress and frusÂtraÂtion crimÂinÂals and vanÂdals conÂtinÂued to place on grievÂing famÂilÂies and comÂmunitÂies.
â[The muniÂcipÂalÂity] has reafÂfirmed its comÂmitÂment to proÂtectÂing cemeterÂies as digÂniÂfied pubÂlic spaces deserving of respect, proÂtecÂtion and proper manÂageÂment.
âThe NelÂson ManÂdela Bay muniÂcipÂalÂity has intensÂiÂfied interÂvenÂtions aimed at addressÂing the ongoÂing theft and vanÂdalÂism of tombÂstones across cemeterÂies folÂlowÂing a recent breakÂthrough in Kariega linked to co-ordinÂated efforts between law enforceÂment agenÂcies, muniÂcipal offiÂcials and industry stakeÂholdÂers.
âOver the past two years, the muniÂcipÂalÂity has recorÂded an increase in incidÂents involving theft, vanÂdalÂism and damÂage to tombÂstones across sevÂeral muniÂcipal cemeterÂies.
âThese incidÂents have placed sigÂniÂficÂant strain on muniÂcipal resources and have required ongoÂing colÂlabÂorÂaÂtion between the muniÂcipÂalÂity, the SA Police SerÂvice, metro police, private stakeÂholdÂers and comÂmunity strucÂtures.â
