Alex’s deceased honoured on Mandela Day
ALEXANDRA – Alex's ancestors finally get attention they deserve.
Alexandra residents restored the dignity of their deceased relatives recently when they cleaned up the old Alex Cemetery on Mandela Day.
This was after several complaints featured in the Alex News about the grave site’s appalling conditions from undignified acts ranging from excrement defiling the graves, toppled and vandalised tombstones, indiscriminate dumping, broken perimeter wall and paths over some of the graves linking Setswetla informal settlement and Alexandra.
Some local councillors, Region E director Liziwe Ntshinga-Makoro and chief of Metro police David Tembe joined hundreds of residents in the exercise on 18 July. NPO Gift of the Givers was also on hand. They donated bricks for a surrounding wall in response to residents’ request for the protection of the site. The council’s plan is to ensure the cemetery has controlled entry, a guard room, patrolling crews and a scroll of honour with names of the deceased.
“Many lying here are notable local and national figures who should be honoured for their contributions to society from the early stages of the township,” DA proportional representative councillor Shadrack Mkhonto said, stating that a budget has been allocated for the upgrade.
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