Preserving history, one headstone at a time: KZN's cemetery guardian

FORMER fingerprint expert Deon van Niekerk now spends his Sundays cleaning and photographing forgotten graves across KwaZulu-Natal.

His volunteer work documenting headstones for digital archives helps reconnect families with their history and preserves the memory of those who've passed - including fallen service members. This unusual passion is bringing closure to many families.

Armed with a plastic scraper, scrubbing brush, and a heart full of purpose, Van Niekerk spends his Sundays reviving the memory of the forgotten.

He is a dedicated volunteer for the eGGSA (Electronic Genealogy Society of South Africa) Graves Project and the South African War Graves Project.

Now based in Pinetown, Niekerk is part of a small but committed team that works methodically through local cemeteries, cleaning and photographing gravestones, and uploading them to digital archives for families and genealogists around the world.

“I was originally just looking for my own family's graves, but I got it wrong at first due to old naming traditions.

“Eventually, I found my grandparents’ graves with their full names and dates. That helped me identify the correct family line. It was emotional and it is something that can really help others doing genealogy or just looking for closure.

“I chose cemeteries by finding them on the EGGSA site, and if they seem under photographed. I visit it to see if it has been done before or not. I thought Redhill Cemetery would have been a small cemetery but turns out it is very large. Hillary Cemetery, I have driven past on numerous occasions and saw it has not yet been done at all. The majority of the photos at the EGGSA site have been sent in by family members,” he said.

He said what began as a personal journey has grown into a community service effort that reaches beyond South African borders.

“I have had people reach out to me on Facebook, people I have never met, many no longer living in the country, thanking me for posting photos of their family graves. It is incredibly rewarding,” he added.

Together with his volunteers, Van Niekerk has systematically worked through the West Street Cemetery, Redhill Cemetery, and the Hillary Cemetery. He is currently busy at the Mountain Rise Cemetery, in Pietermaritzburg.

“We start at one end and move row by row. Each grave is carefully cleaned with natural products that will not damage the stone. Then we use baby powder to make the inscriptions more legible before photographing them.

 “The powder washes off with the first rain.”

Once processed, the photos are sent to eGGSA where they are transcribed and uploaded to the eGGSA Graves site. Graves of police or military members who died in the line of duty are also sent to the War Graves Project, another entirely volunteer-run initiative, he added.

“Sometimes I post these to Facebook too, that way, I can try to get feedback from the family about the circumstances of death. It helps bring closure and ensures we remember those who gave their lives for us.”

Despite the often-overgrown or neglected state of some burial grounds, Niekerk maintains that many local cemeteries are safer and more accessible than people believe.

“Places like the West Street Cemetery in Durban are often perceived as unsafe, but in our experience, it’s well maintained. The grass is cut every Sunday and security is always present,” he said.

Other cemeteries, like Mountain Rise, present a different challenge.

“It is notorious for crime and neglect. In summer, the bush gets so thick it covers the graves. Still, we have never had any incidents, but we will have to pause now until next winter when the vegetation dies off.”

While Van Niekerk offers to clean and photograph specific graves upon request for a small fee, which goes toward travel and supplies, his primary motivation remains rooted in service.

“We do this to give back. Many people, whether due to age or because they have moved away, can no longer visit the graves of their loved ones. We help keep those memories alive.”

He recently helped a woman whose father, a police officer in Pietermaritzburg, died in the line of duty in 1988.

“She was so grateful. Like all family members we help, they appreciate that their loved one’s memory has not been forgotten.”

Van Niekerk is unsure how long he’ll be able to continue his volunteer work, especially if his career or circumstances change. But for now, the mission continues - every Sunday, weather permitting.

“We do what we can, with the time we have. It is not just about documenting headstones. It’s about honouring lives.”

For more information or to explore the grave archives, visit:

• eGGSA Graves Project:https://www.eggsa.org
• South African War Graves Project:http://www.southafricawargraves.org

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