The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) in the Stellenbosch Local Municipality conducted an oversight visit last weekend to the Onder Papegaaiberg area, including the historic cemetery, the adjacent bridge, the railway line and surrounding informal settlement.
The visit was prompted by numerous complaints from residents about illegal dumping, informal settlement, and serious safety and environmental risks.
The Freedom Front Plus also visited the scene where the senseless murder of 77-year-old Mr Piet de Koker was committed on 17 January this year in the Stellenbosch main cemetery / Onder Papegaaiberg cemetery.
The condition of this cemetery is particularly important to the Stellenbosch community. It is the historic resting place for generations of local residents, including prominent Stellenbosch families, academics and former mayors.
Cemeteries are meant to be places of respect and remembrance, so, its current dilapidated condition is unacceptable. The restoration and maintenance of this terrain has to be prioritised to ensure it remains a safe and dignified space for families, residents and visitors.
The informal settlement under the bridge poses a serious threat to public safety and infrastructure, and should no longer be ignored.
The oversight visit revealed extensive illegal dumping under the bridge and along the railway line, with large quantities of rubbish ending up in the nearby stream, creating a serious health and flood hazard risk.
Election campaign posters, including those of the Freedom Front Plus, are being used as building material for informal structures, while grapes – likely stolen from a neighbouring farm – were found within the settlement.
Open fires under the bridge and near the railway line pose an immediate risk to critical infrastructure and railway operations.
In an official letter to the Municipal Manager, Geraldine Mettler, the Freedom Front Plus demanded that the area in question be cleaned, rubbish removed, vulnerable infrastructure secured, and decisive action taken against illegal occupation and activities.
The Freedom Front Plus extends its deepest condolences to the friends and family of Mr De Koker. His tragic death must serve as a turning point. Restoring safety, dignity and environmental integrity in Onder Papegaaiberg and the historic cemetery is a top priority.
The Freedom Front Plus remains committed to taking visible, coordinated and sustained action to effectively address residents’ concerns.
