The destruction of graves at Klip Road Cemetery has taken centre stage after a video showing a skelm brazenly destroying a gravesite went viral on chat groups this week.
The video which surfaced on Wednesday shows a man wearing a long, blue raincoat holding a concrete slab which he uses to break bricks from a graf in broad daylight.
The man looks into the camera as he is filmed, but doesn’t say anything as he throws the bricks over the fence.
Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson Melvin Jonkers says he was left horrified after watching the video.
“We are totally disgusted and condemn the ongoing thefts. The guy doesn’t even seem to care that he is being caught on camera.
“The cemetery is turning into a slum and an easy target for skelms.
“In the past we have raised concerns that the gate on the northern side of the cemetery is left open at night.
“The City of Cape Town is the custodian and they must take responsibility to safeguard the facility.”
Jonkers says the theft of bricks is rampant in Grassy Park as there appears to be a market for second hand bricks.
Grassy Park Police Station commander, Colonel Dawood Laing, says despite daily patrols by police the theft at the cemetery continues.
“Earlier this year we caught several perpetrators who were caught stealing flowers. They were charged and went to court, but we even have cases where the skelms broke into the offices and stole various things, including fridges.”
Mayco member for Community Services, Zahid Badroodien, says the vandal has since been identified and the matter handed over to SAPS.
“Current leads suggest that this man is known by the community as a reseller of second hand cement bricks.
“Two security guards are currently employed to work night shifts at the cemetery.”
He said the City cannot be held accountable for the criminal actions of vandals.