The once well-kept historical Aberdeen cemetery was found to be in a terrible condition during a recent oversight visit.
It is so overgrown by weeds and other vegetation that it is difficult to locate graves. Gravestones have been broken and there is litter everywhere. The entrances and footpaths are also basically inaccessible.
The FF Plus sent an official letter to the Municipal Manager of the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, Dr EM Rankwana, to bring the matter to his attention and insist that the situation should be addressed at once.
The Aberdeen cemetery holds the graves of, among others, Jan Vorster, the former owner of the farm Brakfontein. The farm was sold to the Dutch Reformed church in 1855 and was later developed into Aberdeen.
The cemetery also holds the graves of 25 British officers, petty officers and soldiers who perished in the Anglo-Boer War.
The grave of John Alexander Baxter who fought on the Boer side and was executed by the British on 13 October 1901 is also in this cemetery.
The cemetery’s decay has made it unsafe for tourists, friends and family to visit. It is unacceptable. It demonstrates contempt for the legacy of those buried there.