GEORGE NEWS - The Van der Ross family from Blanco were devastated after the grave of their father, Jannie van der Ross, who was buried nine years ago, was found dug up on Wednesday 27 November. His wife is buried next to him.
According to the family, they were informed of the incident by a relative visiting the Blanco Cemetery on Maitland Street.
The handle, and what looked like a portion of the coffin's lid, lay on top of the ground next to the grave. Van der Ross' remains were intact.
The police were called to the scene on Wednesday where they investigated and cordoned off the scene.
However, according to the family, the grave was dug up even deeper the next morning "as if someone was looking for something".
A resident also believes it was definitely people, most likely criminals, searching for something.
"Perhaps these people, years ago, before the man's death and burial there, hid something in the ground and have now returned to search for what they buried, only to find graves in that spot. Because who would dig such a deep hole in that specific place two nights in a row? Something about this feels off," said the resident.
With George Herald's visit to the scene, the family was waiting for the municipality to bring sand to cover the grave again. On Thursday evening the family covered the grave themselves after no sand was delivered.
The grave that was dug up.
Overgrown cemetery
A community leader, Lorraine van Schalkwyk, says the overgrown and bushy cemetery is a nest for criminals. "They come and hide here with their stolen things and their drugs," she says.
"Look, you see those boys with the backpacks coming out of the bushes?" she pointed as we stood at the scene. "They are leaving now because the police are too busy here [on the scene]."
The handle and what looked like the coffin's lid lay on top of the ground.
Not the municipality's property
Director of Community Services Dawie Adonis says they were informed of the incident by the police last Thursday.
Upon investigating and visiting the site, it was found that the grave is not in the George Municipality cemetery but on land belonging to churches in the area.
Adonis also says the overgrown bushes are on the church's land and the municipality has no authority there.
"We tried to intervene a few months ago by trying to remove some of the bushes, but the contractor could not proceed as it was unsafe to do so. The area is filled with human faeces. We suspect that the people staying in the informal settlement nearby use the area to relieve themselves," says Adonis.
He says that in 2023 the municipality fenced off the front of the cemetery which belongs to the municipality, with a palisade, but the rest of the cemetery is open.
If any irregularities are noticed, it is requested that the police and law enforcement be contacted on 044 801 6350.
George Herald has learned confidentially that the churches to which the cemetery belongs will soon hold a meeting where they will look at ways to clean up and secure the cemetery.
Most of the cemetery is overgrown.
George Municipality says the part of the cemetery in Blanco that is so badly overgrown is not its property, but belongs to churches in the area. Photos: Kristy Kolberg
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