Invaded land: families hopeful they will soon visit the gravesites of loved ones

THE families of those who were buried in the Seaview Cemetery are hopeful they will soon be able to visit the gravesites of their loved ones, after the land was invaded by informal dwellers more than 20 years ago. Some of the make-shift homes were built on top of gravesites. 

Siboniso Duma, the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, said graveyards were sacred places and should be respected. 

He said the department was in the process of profiling the informal dwellers with the aim of relocating them. 

“Our hearts are with the families of the departed souls that should be resting in peace in the cemetery. We recall that residents were forcefully removed from the area as a result of the Group Areas Act. Under a democratic government, they must be allowed to reconnect with their loved ones,” said Duma. 

He said Max Mbili, the head of department, department officials, and a team of community based workers were in the process of profiling people living in the cemetery. 

“While we understand that people are moving from far-flung areas to eThekwini in search of socio-economic opportunities and that there is a shortage of houses and land. We call on communities to respect the departed soul. Cemeteries are sacred places where the dead must be allowed to rest in peace.

“We now want to establish the identity of the people there, whether they received houses in the past in Welbedacht and sold them or rented them out. We also want to ensure that only South Africans are registered as per the government policy.” 

Duma added that the department supported the upcoming National Dialogue, which was spearheaded by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“We will need to have our own dialogue in Seaview, Chatsworth, and uMlazi, among other areas. We must work together to ensure we allow families in the area or those who have graves on farms, and were forcefully removed, can go back to the graves to honour the deceased and connect with their heritage.

Many former residents that were forced to leave their childhood homes for Chatsworth, due to the Group Areas Act, said they were unable to visit the gravesites due to restrictions at the time, and later the building of informal dwellings. 

Krishna Naidoo, 85, said the cemetery, initially known as the Seaview Vishnu Cemetery, was opened by his grandfather’s uncles.

“They came to South Africa as businessmen, and not as indentured labourers. They formed the Seaview and District Hindoo Cemetery Trust and requested the authority of the city council to use the land as a burial ground in the late 1930s.  

“They also used their own money to build the Seaview Shree Vishnu Temple, which was later demolished during the Group Areas Act. 

“The cemetery is where my grandparents and brother were buried. There were also many other family members that passed on before the Group Areas Act that were also buried.

“I still remember it had a big gate and the sign ‘Seaview Vishnu Cemetery’ on it. We used to pass the cemetery on the way to school every day. We also cleaned the graves, put flowers and did prayers.” 

Naidoo said he had not visited the cemetery since being moved from the area. 

“When we were able to freely move around again, it was difficult and unsafe to go to the cemetery as people began building shacks. We have had gatherings of old residents in the area, but we look at the cemetery from a distance. 

“However, if they can remove those people who have illegally settled in the cemetery and clean it up, I would be happy. I also wish I could be buried next to my loved ones,” he said. 

Moonsamy Moodley, 78, said his father and several other family members were buried at the cemetery. 

“I am left deeply saddened to see the state of the cemetery. We used to visit at least once a week to clean the graves, and sometimes put flowers if it was a special occasion. 

“However, while it is not right to build houses on graves, I can understand that people have become desperate for homes or some type of shelter. I hope they will now get proper homes. We will hopefully be able to pay our respects to our elders again soon,” he said. 

Lalanthra Dass, 64, said her grandfather and his brother were buried at the cemetery. 

“With the assistance of one of the residents, my father and I last visited the cemetery about four years ago. It was disappointing to see the condition, especially the damages to many of the gravesites. I can only hope that once the people are removed, the cemetery will be restored and maintained.”

Gopaul Pillay, 77, wants to visit his mother’s gravesite. 

“My mother died when I was just a year old. I never had the chance to meet her and for many years I have not been able to go back to her resting place. There have been many occasions when I just wanted to drive to the area and visit the cemetery, but was told it was not safe. Now I have hope that we will be able to go to the cemetery.”

Khaleel Kazi, a resident for the past 73 years and a community activist, said: “The African understanding of ancestral worship is profound. You give dignity to these souls (the deceased) and sanctity to the hallowed burial ground. Therefore, what we have seen happen at the cemetery reflects the level that people have been let down and what they have had to resort to doing. 

“It is a sad indictment on the leadership and promise in the document called The Freedom Charter, which, to a large extent, laid the foundations of our Constitutional understanding of Human Rights. 

“The Department of Human Settlements now has this task of relocating these informal settlers. However, it must be noted that there is no shortage of land. The area around the cemetery is in the hands of the state and has remained vacant after the forced removal of Indians from the area and the expropriation of land. Why not use the land to build proper homes?” he said.

THE POST