Cambridge police in East London have urged residents visiting Cambridge cemetery to ask for a police escort when going to the facility.
This follows an attack on two elderly friends visiting the grave of a loved-one last week.
Willemiena Heyns, who is a resident at Berea Gardens, said she went to the cemetery to clean and lay flowers on her son’s grave and had asked a friend to accompany her.
The 70-year-old said that while at the cemetery they were accosted by two young men armed with knives.
“The grass is so long we did not see them coming. They took my bag which had all my pension money in it and my cellphone. My 74-year-old friend tried to fight them off but he was stabbed in the arm.
“They asked for the car keys and when I refused they stabbed me in the hand,” said Heyns.
Heyns said she eventually gave them the keys and the two men went to the car, opened the boot and took jumper cables.
Dynamics Emergency Medical Service spokesman Werner Bester said they received reports on Friday afternoon that an elderly pair had been attacked at the cemetery.
“When our team arrived at the scene they found that both victims sustained stab wounds to their arms and hands.
“Luckily they did not sustain any other serious injuries and they drove themselves to the hospital to have their wounds treated,” said Bester.
Heyns said her son died nine years ago and she had been going to clean and lay flowers on his grave since. She said it was the second time she had been robbed at the cemetery.
“A few year ago they bashed my car window and stole my jewellery worth R25000,” said Heyns.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi confirmed that a case had been opened.
Mbi said the cemetery had become a hotspot for such attacks as it was not the first time that people visiting the graves of loved ones had been accosted.
“A few weeks ago a family from Johannesburg was attacked at the cemetery.
“We are urging people to request a police escort when visiting the cemetery,” Mbi said. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
Police offer cemetery escorts
This follows an attack on two elderly friends visiting the grave of a loved-one last week.
Willemiena Heyns, who is a resident at Berea Gardens, said she went to the cemetery to clean and lay flowers on her son’s grave and had asked a friend to accompany her.
The 70-year-old said that while at the cemetery they were accosted by two young men armed with knives.
“The grass is so long we did not see them coming. They took my bag which had all my pension money in it and my cellphone. My 74-year-old friend tried to fight them off but he was stabbed in the arm.
“They asked for the car keys and when I refused they stabbed me in the hand,” said Heyns.
Heyns said she eventually gave them the keys and the two men went to the car, opened the boot and took jumper cables.
Dynamics Emergency Medical Service spokesman Werner Bester said they received reports on Friday afternoon that an elderly pair had been attacked at the cemetery.
“When our team arrived at the scene they found that both victims sustained stab wounds to their arms and hands.
“Luckily they did not sustain any other serious injuries and they drove themselves to the hospital to have their wounds treated,” said Bester.
Heyns said her son died nine years ago and she had been going to clean and lay flowers on his grave since. She said it was the second time she had been robbed at the cemetery.
“A few year ago they bashed my car window and stole my jewellery worth R25000,” said Heyns.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi confirmed that a case had been opened.
Mbi said the cemetery had become a hotspot for such attacks as it was not the first time that people visiting the graves of loved ones had been accosted.
“A few weeks ago a family from Johannesburg was attacked at the cemetery.
“We are urging people to request a police escort when visiting the cemetery,” Mbi said. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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