Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, f[email protected]
MRS Sibusisiwe Dube’s tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood before her son’s sunken grave at Luveve Cemetery in Bulawayo.
Her eldest son, who passed away two years ago, was laid to rest there, but heavy rains over the past weeks have caused significant damage to the gravesite.
“I heard from my neighbour that some graves had sunk and filled with water, with some headstones destroyed. I hesitated to check my son’s grave because it survived last year,” she said. However, her fears were confirmed when she arrived and saw the damage.
“Had he not been buried next to a tree, I don’t think I would have recognised the grave. This is supposed to be his resting place, but how does he rest in a place like this? It’s as if the land is trying to re-bury him,” Mrs Dube lamented.
For families like Mrs Dube’s, the rainy season brings not just memories of loss but also the added burden of restoring their loved ones’ final resting places.
This is not the first time graves at Luveve Cemetery have been affected by the rains. Many families have faced similar heartache over the years.
Mrs Dube, said the council cannot be blamed, as the unpredictability of weather and soil conditions makes it difficult to prevent such occurrences.
She expressed gratitude for the council’s willingness to supply soil for repairs but acknowledged that families must take responsibility for maintaining their loved ones’ graves.
“I’ve heard the council usually helps by supplying soil to fill the graves. As a family, we’ll fix it by the weekend because, culturally, it’s not right for a loved one to rest in a grave with water,” she said.
“However, while the city council’s provision of soil is a helpful gesture, the recurring nature of this issue calls for more sustainable solutions to prevent further damage during future rainy seasons.”
A cemetery worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the issue has persisted for years. While some graves suffer minor damage, others are severely affected.
“Another problem is that families don’t maintain their loved ones’ graves. Tombstones erected long ago lose their strength over time, leading to destruction and sinking,” the worker explained.
Bulawayo’s ongoing infrastructure challenges, particularly in drainage management, have a ripple effect on many aspects of urban life, including the preservation of cemeteries. The council’s efforts to address drainage issues citywide, including in cemeteries, remain critical.
