Furore over cemetery

Angeline Mpofu Chronicle Reporter
A FIERCE row is brewing in Bulawayo’s Trenance, Northlyn and Harrisvale suburbs where residents are protesting against a property developer who is working to establish a private cemetery without their consent. Elizabeth Magdalene Dubois submitted an application to establish a private cemetery with a capacity of at least 100,000 graves to the Bulawayo City Council and her application was approved on 8 May this year.

According to documents in Chronicle’s possession, the then Deputy Mayor of Bulawayo, Amen Mpofu consulted residents who also approved the establishment of the cemetery on January 2 the same year.

However, residents yesterday said they were never consulted.
The Dubois cemetery would be an upmarket facility for the upper class where a grave would cost $5,000 and the first body is set to be buried on 2 February next year.

Fuming residents have signed a petition demanding the rescission of the project, saying that they would not rest until the project was abandoned.

“We will fight Dubois even in the highest court because she did not consult us. The consultative meeting which was called by Clr Amen Mpofu was attended by Cabatsha squatters and they approved because they are not property owners.

“A resident in his correct senses will not approve such a move because a cemetery in the suburb will cause the value of their properties to depreciate, as potential buyers would not buy where there is a grave site,” said a resident with a house less than 10 metres from the proposed cemetery.

Said another resident: “We have lived here for so many years and we are not used to such activities in our community. Culturally graves have their own designated places not residential areas. We are totally against this idea because, who knows, these graves may even haunt us.”

“There are a lot of negatives if a cemetery was to be established here. Imagine our children having to see coffins and people in mourning daily. This will not be good for them. There will be traffic each time there is a burial and we are going to be reminded of death everyday,” the resident said.

Another resident Lindani Moyo from Lobenvale suburb said the land earmarked for the private cemetery is in the middle of the suburbs.
“We do not want a cemetery here and besides it is a private cemetery that is meant for the rich people and we cannot benefit from it,” he said.

Residents said they held a meeting with Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo recently who told them their petition was outdated.
“He said in terms of the statutory requirement the objection period should be within 30 days from the date of the advertisement showing the cemetery would be established.

“He said for this application it expired on 2 April 2013. He advised us to approach the courts and apply for an interdict while we discuss this issue,” said a resident from Harrisvale.

When Chronicle visited Dubois at her farm her husband met the news crew.
“If you have questions you should ask the city council people because everything was done according to procedures.

We sent letters to residents and they approved our application. The problem with these people is that they never went to the post office to collect their letters because they were scared of paying some money,” said Dubois.

He insulted the news crew using unprintable language and chased it away.
“I will take you to court if you write a story about this, beware . . .” he said as he turned away.

Contacted for comment Ward Two councillor Sithabile Mataka said she had seen the petition and would make sure that it was discussed in the next council meeting.

“My duty as a councillor is to present the concerns of the residents to the council. I have seen the petition and residents have expressed dissatisfaction over the establishment of the grave yard,” she said.

Clr Moyo and the former deputy mayor, Mpofu were not immediately available for comment as their phones rang unanswered.