MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) - A graveyard with peaceful surroundings and a beautifully maintained garden is the heartcry of residents who bury their loved ones and visit the Louis Trichardt Cemetery.

Following the tragedy of the two Du Preez children who died in a horrendous accident on March 25, public attention turned to the state of the Louis Trichardt Cemetery.

In some parts of the graveyard wild grass stood a meter high on Tuesday, March 30.

"Why should there be wild grass at all?" one resident asked, who had buried his child in the Polokwane Cemetery some time ago.

"There the atmosphere is always calm and serene due to the well-kept gardens."

In a leaflet on service delivery, the Makhado Municipality recently stated that it spent R1,2 million on cemeteries in the area during the past 36 months. Several residents, however, expressed their unhappiness about the condition of the town's own cemetery.

Mr Vic Viljoen, Director of Strategic Development and Economic Planning, clarified the amount of R1,2 million. Viljoen said that it represented the total working expenses spent on salaries, wages, maintenance and equipment. The R1,2 million is spread out over the 265 towns or villages in the municipal area. Graveyards were enclosed and entrance roads constructed. The bulk of the amount goes for salaries in town with graveyards like those in Tshikota and Louis Trichardt.

"Labour, equipment and maintenance expenditures comprise the cemetery budget," Viljoen said. He added that there are a number of permanent workers allocated to the Louis Trichardt Cemetery and that the cemetery falls under the Parks Department of the municipality.

"We don't have disrespect for our graveyards," stated Viljoen. "We have respect for the fact that some people visit the graves of their loved ones regularly." He said that if there is a specific area that needs attention, it will be looked into, but since it is part of a bigger picture, they have to prioritise.

In the rainy season the municipality experiences overwhelming problems to keep growing veld grass in check. The maintenance of equipment like lawnmowers is also problematic. This week, one of the caretakers at the town's cemetery said that the overgrown grass was due to the breakdown of the lawn mower. He said that it had been repaired and he was confident that the grass would be cut during the week.

Still, residents feel that it should not just be a matter of cutting wild grass, but that proper grass should be planted and a garden landscaped to create tranquil surroundings.