Several families at Tshikota were devastated when they discovered that the headstones of their relatives’ graves were stolen from their graves at the graveyard during the course of last week.

The community discovered that somebody had broken into the graveyard and vandalised more than 10 tombstones. Some tombstones were missing and other tombstones were broken. It was discovered by members of the community who came to a graveyard last Thursday morning to prepare a grave for one their relatives, who passed on.

Ms Mapula Maluleke, whose mother’s tombstone was stolen, said they spent a lot of money to construct the tombstone, “because we want our beloved deceased to rest in peace. I want the police to bring the culprits to book, because many villagers used their last money for the tombstones," said Mapula.

“We really wanted to honour her, so to see the grave like this is painful," she said.

Members of the community, together with the family members, opened a case of theft at the Makhado police station.

The chairperson of  the Tshikota Sanco, Mr Ngaoko Motheketlela, said that this was the first incident of its kind in the area and the community was working together with the different structures to make sure that it did not happen again. Concerned members of the community have resorted to guarding the graveyard at night.

He added that said community members would patrol the streets during the night, until crime was reduced to 0% in the Tshikota area.

The spokesperson for the SAPS at Makhado, W/O Takalani Madzhigili, said that a case of malicious damage to property had been opened. He appealed to the community to assist the police with the investigation. He said the police would do everything in their power to make sure crime ceased to exist in the community.