Online Reporter
TODAY’S Saturday Chronicle edition has a story that paints an image of young schoolchildren, some no more than toddlers, traipsing through the overgrown, dilapidated Pelandaba Cemetery on their way home. To say the least, the image is distressing. It speaks volumes about the neglect of what should be a hallowed ground and the perilous choices forced upon our most vulnerable citizens. This isn’t merely an issue of cultural insensitivity, though that alone is deeply troubling; it’s a glaring proof of the Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) failure to uphold its basic responsibilities and ensure the safety and dignity of its public spaces.
The Pelandaba Cemetery, once a sacred resting place, now stands as a symbol of abandonment. Waist-high grass, missing fences, and unkempt graves create an environment ripe for danger, potentially harbouring snakes and other hazards for unsuspecting children. To suggest, as one anonymous council employee did, that the maintenance of individual graves rests solely with relatives, is to deliberately miss the point. The council’s responsibility lies in the overall upkeep of the cemetery, including cutting grass and securing the perimeter. Their admitted lack of tools and resources for clearing Pelandaba is not an excuse; it’s an indictment.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu’s attempt to lay blame squarely on “widespread vandalism perpetrated by residents” rings hollow in the face of such profound neglect. While vandalism is indeed a problem that demands addressing, it cannot be used as a blanket excuse for the council’s consistent failure to maintain these vital public spaces. A lack of resources is a recurring lament, yet the consequences of this scarcity are starkly evident in the exposed graves at Luveve Cemetery after heavy rains — a truly horrifying outcome that should shock any responsible authority into immediate action.
The council’s new plan to plant ingotsha hedges instead of fences, while potentially a long-term solution, does little to address the immediate crisis of unsecured cemeteries, where livestock freely roam and cultural taboos are violated daily. The call for residents to protect infrastructure and uphold dignity is valid, but it must be met with visible efforts from the council to demonstrate their own commitment to these spaces.
It’s time for the Bulawayo City Council to move beyond blame and excuses. The dignity of the deceased, the safety of our children, and the cultural integrity of our communities demand urgent action. Resources must be prioritised for cemetery maintenance, and a clear, effective plan for restoration and ongoing upkeep needs to be implemented. Our cemeteries are more than just burial grounds; they are a reflection of our respect for the past and our commitment to the well-being of the present and future generations. The current state is simply unacceptable.
