The community of Madabani village in the Sinthumule area on Sunday discovered that somebody had broken into the graveyard and vandalized more than 40 tombstones.

The community members went to the graveyard on Sunday to install a stand to cover the tombstone and they discovered that the gate was nowhere to be found. A large number of tombstones had been vandalized. They reported the matter to the headman, Musanda Vho-Mavhungu Ramabulana, who call all the residents to the graveyard to asses the damage and to report the matter to the police.

Khosi Vho-Mavhungu Ramabulana said that people who were doing these barbaric deeds came from the community and he appealed to villagers to report any crime or wrongdoing to the police. He discouraged community members, however, from taking the law into their own hands and appealed to those who know something to report it. He emphasized that community members have to work hand and hand with the police in order to bring the culprits to book.

One of the residents who was still shocked, Mr Africa Selete, said when he visited the graveyard he found four of his relatives’ tombstones had been vandalized. "We spent a lot of money to erect 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 use their last money to erect the tombstones," said Selete.

The spokesperson for the SAPS at Tshilwavhusiku, Const Khakhu Maiwashe, said that a case of malicious damage to property had been opened. Maiwashe appealed to the community to assist the police with the investigation. She said the police would do everything in its power to make sure crime ceased to exist in the community.