An excellent example of community members in partnership with the Makhado council brought about some changes in the appearance of the cemetery.

By last week, the community had just about had enough of searching through long grass for the graves of their beloved in an untidy graveyard.

Complaints started to fall on the right ears. When some of the concerned community members met with Mr Lampie Schoeman, manager for the Makhado region, on February 22, a lot of the long grass in the wide corridors between the graves had already been cut. On the whole, though, the appearance of the cemetery was still rather untidy. Between the tombstones the grass was still growing and appeared to need a weedeater to clean it up.

During the meeting with Mr Schoeman, Mrs Francis de Bruin and Mr Jan Brink pointed out problems and came with positive suggestions.

Ms De Bruin strongly recommended outsourcing the upkeep of the cemetery. The contractor should keep the graveyard, as well as the parking area, neat and clean. She said that her mother, Ms Sannie Fourie, would be willing to undertake a contract to look after the cemetery. The Fouries, well-known businesspeople from Limpopo Dairy, have loved ones buried there and are regular visitors to the cemetery. Mr Brink, respected funeral undertaker of AVBOB, added that, in Brits, the cemetery is looked after by private contractors. Mr Schoeman noted the idea of outsourcing and said it would need investigation. Because many procedures are involved, he could not give an indication of a timeframe.

Mr Brink mentioned the problem that the church service is sometimes already in progress while the municipality’s workers have not even dug the grave.

Other issues mentioned were absent grave numbers, maintenance, the fence, dry grass, ground which is not level, the attitude of the caretaker, the damaging of tombstones by the tractors and the fact that, in the new part, the heaps remain and the ground has never been levelled.

Mr Schoeman said that taxpayers should take more interest in the cemetery.

The good part of the story is that, on February 26, Limpopo Diary and AVBOB each donated a brand new weedeater for specific use in the cemetery. Mr Masindi Mapholi, director of technical services of the Makhado Municipality, and Mr Rexon Mulaudzi, supervisor of the parks section, attended the handing over which took place at the cemetery. Mr André van der Merwe from LTT Bolt & Nut came along and demonstrated the correct use of the weedeaters.

"This is a remarkable experience; something that I have never experienced in five years in the Makhado Council," Mr Mapholi said. "This is a bench mark and the setting of a precedent in the community. This is an example for us as Council. Now you can always monitor us and see that your weedeaters are properly used and maintained."

Mapholi said that the donation of the weedeaters was in accordance with the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA), Act 56 of 2003. The Act refers to partnerships between the community and the Council.

In the meantime, Ms Louise Louw, who had buried both her husband and father in the cemetery, said that she was glad to hear about the prospect of a clean and tidy cemetery.