Johannesburg - Ground water at the Doornkop Cemetery in Soweto is seeping into old graves, dislocating the ground at the burial site.
Visitors to the cemetery expressed concern that the water was damaging graves. Some were worried that the water would disrupt the graves.
Residents around Zola told The Star that the ground water was even affecting a school that was close to the cemetery. The school had abandoned its old buildings, and learners were now learning in prefab structures.
The Star understands that the school buildings were cracking and some of the stairways were collapsing.
Johannesburg City Parks confirmed that there were quantities of groundwater seeping into the graves.
In a statement, the municipality said it had sent officials to inspect the problem, and the water leak was found.
“These are interventions that were implemented in attending to the reported ground water seepage: it was confirmed during an inspection last month (April) and another one conducted last week that there is no more ground seepage occurring inside the cemetery,” City Parks said.
The statement said Joburg Water repaired the pumps at the old reservoir, the source of the water.
“Joburg Roads Agency assisted with cleaning and opening the storm water kerbs along Mthethwa Road to ensure all runoff does not flood residential houses,” City Parks said.
According to City Parks, the cemetery is being maintained by its regional team, which ensures that the grass is cut and that the older sections of the cemetery are accessible.
“An operational blitz was done on the open field where vagrants are located, where all the law enforcement officials were in attendance,” it said.
According to City Parks, the cemeteries team assisted with an informal trench which was opened to divert the runoff from the graves.
The Star