Fifty-three tombstones were smashed or pulled down overnight in the Settlers Methodist Church graveyard in Port Alfred’s Bathurst Street.
A local pastor and an ANC stalwart have both suggested a racial element to the vandalism, saying 52 of the trashed tombstones belonged to black people.
Matebese funeral parlour undertaker Keith Mhlwatiki, who was inspecting the damage to tombstones yesterday, said replacing the broken stones would cost R100000.
Port Alfred police spokesman Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula said they were looking into the issue.
The Reverend Kagmogelo Monoametsi, superintendent minister of Methodist churches in Port Alfred and Bathurst, said he was “disappointed and disturbed” over the desecration of the tombstones.
“All the tombstones tipped over belonged to black people,” he said, adding he had heard of similar incidents in Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth.
“I went and reported this case to the police,” he said.
Although eight tombstones belonging to his family were damaged, local ANC struggle stalwart and ward 9 chairman Thobile “Bra Thobs” Gqolodashe yesterday called for calm.
“My worry is there could be revenge attacks on graves. I am appealing to the people not to go out and do this,” he said.
One of the damaged stones is a memorial to his wife, Nomfusi Princess Gqolodashe.
“I have got my suspicions that this could have been done in revenge for statues being removed.
“The graves of white and black people have been here for years and we have never had problems like this.”
The most damaged tombstone, emblazoned in the colours of the ANC, marks the grave of Port Alfred’s first democratically elected mayor, Khululwe Jauka, who died in a car accident in 1998.
Gqolodashe said it could have been his own tombstone which was vandalised since he was meant to have travelled in the car with Jauka and former ANC comrade Bongani Mabindisa, who also died in the crash near Peddie.
“I had other commitments at the last minute and did not go with them. That decision saved my life. I had to go to the East London morgue with some comrades to identify their bodies. It makes me sad to see this.”
Gqolodashe said a family friend alerted him to the damage at the graveyard.
“I feel very bad. People believe so much in their ancestors and spend a lot of money on tombstones for them and now this happens.”
He said he spent more than R10000 apiece on tombstones for his late wife and other relatives and that he would now employ people to try to glue the pieces back together.
One of the graves damaged belongs to his late aunt, Vuyelwa Violet Matthews, and was meant to be unveiled and blessed by a church minister this weekend.
Shocked Ndlambe municipality spokesman Khulukile Mbolekwa yesterday urged people not to damage any tombstones.
He said the graveyard belonged to the Methodist church and not the municipality. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Damage to graves in PA cemetery
A local pastor and an ANC stalwart have both suggested a racial element to the vandalism, saying 52 of the trashed tombstones belonged to black people.
Matebese funeral parlour undertaker Keith Mhlwatiki, who was inspecting the damage to tombstones yesterday, said replacing the broken stones would cost R100000.
Port Alfred police spokesman Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula said they were looking into the issue.
The Reverend Kagmogelo Monoametsi, superintendent minister of Methodist churches in Port Alfred and Bathurst, said he was “disappointed and disturbed” over the desecration of the tombstones.
“All the tombstones tipped over belonged to black people,” he said, adding he had heard of similar incidents in Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth.
“I went and reported this case to the police,” he said.
Although eight tombstones belonging to his family were damaged, local ANC struggle stalwart and ward 9 chairman Thobile “Bra Thobs” Gqolodashe yesterday called for calm.
“My worry is there could be revenge attacks on graves. I am appealing to the people not to go out and do this,” he said.
One of the damaged stones is a memorial to his wife, Nomfusi Princess Gqolodashe.
“I have got my suspicions that this could have been done in revenge for statues being removed.
“The graves of white and black people have been here for years and we have never had problems like this.”
The most damaged tombstone, emblazoned in the colours of the ANC, marks the grave of Port Alfred’s first democratically elected mayor, Khululwe Jauka, who died in a car accident in 1998.
Gqolodashe said it could have been his own tombstone which was vandalised since he was meant to have travelled in the car with Jauka and former ANC comrade Bongani Mabindisa, who also died in the crash near Peddie.
“I had other commitments at the last minute and did not go with them. That decision saved my life. I had to go to the East London morgue with some comrades to identify their bodies. It makes me sad to see this.”
Gqolodashe said a family friend alerted him to the damage at the graveyard.
“I feel very bad. People believe so much in their ancestors and spend a lot of money on tombstones for them and now this happens.”
He said he spent more than R10000 apiece on tombstones for his late wife and other relatives and that he would now employ people to try to glue the pieces back together.
One of the graves damaged belongs to his late aunt, Vuyelwa Violet Matthews, and was meant to be unveiled and blessed by a church minister this weekend.
Shocked Ndlambe municipality spokesman Khulukile Mbolekwa yesterday urged people not to damage any tombstones.
He said the graveyard belonged to the Methodist church and not the municipality. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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