Leveled grave leaves family distraught
The Kotze family are unable to identify their father’s grave after it has been leveled.
ALBERTON – The Kotze family recently lost their father and grandfather. He was laid to rest in the Kromvlei Cemetery.
The family has been visiting the grave, filling it up and laying flowers. With their last visit to the grave they wanted to fill it up for the last time before putting up the gravestone, but were upset and distraught to find that the graves have been leveled by a bulldozer. They are now not able to identify their father’s grave.
“We waited to put up the gravestone, because we are aware that the ground settles and it is better to wait a while,” Kosie Kotze explained why they have not put up a gravestone yet.
“We saw the tracks of the bulldozer over the ground, but what bothered us about this was that the numbers on the grave have been changed and the urn with flowers was removed,” the Kotze family added.
The grave was compacted and leveled as part of the cemetery’s maintenance programme. The maintenance is done according to the Cemetery and Crematorium By-Laws, officials have explained, but still have not given a reason why the numbers of the graves have been changed.
“It is a very sad feeling if you do not even know where exactly your own father has been laid to rest,” Kosie Kotze said.
Cllr. Berg thanked those concerned that they gave feedback on the situation, but added that they failed to state that the council has to ensure that a register of all the graves have to be kept and that the graves have to be clearly and correctly marked.
“If council fails to do this, it will result in anarchy,” Councillor Berg added.
Kromvlei Cemetery is disgusting. My brother is buried there & the graves are so close together that you almost stand on the next grave. The urns & vases get stolen & pebbles we placed on the grave were also removed. The graves are badly marked. A lot of graves are sinking as is my brothers. Friends of ours had their sons body removed & cremated as they were so disgusted with the maintence at the cemetery.
This is so disrespectful! My heart goes out to mr Kotze’s family.