A partnership between the community and business will hopefully mean the end of several social ills that have plagued two cemeteries in Wynberg.
Thanks to a partnership set up by Ward 62 councillor, Emile Langenhoven, a property developer has provided staff to keep the St Johns Parish Church (Anglican) Cemetery clean and has committed to fixing the historic fence next to it which was previously damaged by the street people who were living there. The property developer, who wishes to remain anonymous, has also provided the funds needed to cover the installation costs of an internet fibre connection and a security camera.
The St Johns cemetery is one of three adjacent graveyards located on Church Street in Wynberg.
In 2018, People’s Post reported on how sex workers, street people and drug users had invaded the graveyard.
This cemetery lies directly behind Church Street Methodist.
Through the years, the social ills prevalent at the one cemetery had begun to spill over to the Methodist graveyard, located on the side of the church.
Reverend Graham Goodwin of Church Street Methodist says these are historical graveyards that belong to the Methodist and Anglican churches.
“They have over time become a site for criminal activity and drug use in the Wynberg area.”
He says during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, an increasing number of people began making their homes in the graveyards.
“The church runs a community kitchen for the Wynberg CAN which provides a meal twice a week to anyone in the Wynberg community. During this period, our kitchen was broken into and groceries and equipment stolen. Our water pipes were also repeatedly stolen,” says Goodwin.
Because the cemeteries are on private property, it is difficult for public law enforcers to act.
Marinda Watermeyer of Wynberg Sector 1 Neighbourhood Watch says in such instances neighbourhood watches also have limited power.
“They cannot, legally, remove people from private property and also cannot take the law into their own hands. Neighbourhood watches can work closely with authorities and be their eyes and ears, but cannot take on the role of law enforcement officers,” she explains.
Shortly after the municipal elections held in November last year, Watermeyer says she met with Langenhoven following his election as councillor.
“It was an introductory meeting; to share with him what Wynberg Sector 1 Neighbourhood Watch knows about and is concerned about in the area in general. The cemetery was one of many points that were discussed during this meeting,” she says.
At Langenhoven’s request, Watermeyer set up a meeting between him and other role players closer and more affected by the social ills at the cemetery, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Goodwin says the securing of the graveyard has had a marked improvement on their security with no incidents occurring this year.
“There are no overnight structures anymore in the graveyard and we are witnessing a lot less drug use in the graveyard,” he says.
Going forward, he hopes to see greater engagement by the Wynberg community with the City “to create a safe space for those who find themselves homeless to sleep to address the criminality that affects both the formal and informal residents of Wynberg”.
Langenhoven says from the beginning of his campaign, he said his involvement in Ward 62 would depend on partnerships.
“I encourage any business that wishes to do the same to please contact me,” he says.
