Mathata fela: No rest for amadlozi!

GRAVES at Naledi Village Cemetery in QwaQwa, Free State are swimming in water following a burst pipe on Sunday, 14 April.

Villagers were surprised to see water coming from the graveyard.

Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality Water (MAP Water) spokeswoman Kelopile Dlengezele said the graves are on top of a water pipe from the Fika Patso Dam that caters for 80% of villages under the municipality.

The cemetery was erected a couple of years ago, allegedly through the authority of the village king.

Moeketsi Lebesa, the leader of the Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa (DPSA) that was governing QwaQwa during the Bantu Stan government, said the graveyard was erected after 1994.

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"During the Bantustan government, we had visible and written signs that showed where the water pipes were. We were very strict when coming to the erection of any form of the structure. This is the second incident that has happened at the graveside.

"The first one happened in February 2016 at Ha-Rankopane Village, where the skeletons of dead people were seen exposed out of their graves due to a bust water pipe. We need to teach our people, including the Royal Kingdoms, to be conscious about water pipes," he said.

The graveyard serves the Makong, Naledi and Matsieng villages.

Maluti-a-Phofung Mayor Masetjhaba Mosia-Lakaje visited the sinking graveyard on Sunday, 14 April, and instructed water officials to decrease the water supply to avoid extensive damage.

"The graveyard was formed in the agreement between the village king and the community. The village land belongs to the Royal Kingdoms. We cannot turn a blind eye that proper processes were not followed to form a graveyard where water pipes are. We call an urgent meeting with Royal Kingdoms, Municipal top officials, and MAP Water Chief Executive Officer (CEO)," he said.

Mosia-Lakaje said the meeting would indicate whether the graveyard will be relocated.