Maitland Cemetery is fully operational following a fire at Gate 5. The blaze, which occurred on Friday, 23 January, affected a section of the cemetery closest to the railway line, damaging wooden grave markers and fencing.
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the city’s fire and rescue services, said firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 17:55.
“As per the first arriving officer, the fire started along the railway line on the adjacent Prasa land and then spread into the cemetery. The fire was extinguished at 22:20 and no injuries were reported.”
Carelse said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
In a statement, Maitland Cemetery grave cleaners encouraged families to visit the site to assess individual graves.
“Visible damage appears to be limited to combustible materials, including wooden crosses and wooden grave fences located near the railway boundary. No further sections of the cemetery were affected,” read the statement.
Residents took to social media to express their concerns.
One resident said: “Three of my grandparents are buried there. It is so unsafe to visit their graves. Burial grounds are no longer sacred ground.”
Another resident lamented the safety concerns: “It is totally unsafe to visit this cemetery as there are hordes of plakkers all over the place. What is the Cape Town municipality ding to clean it up, secure it and prevent muggings and fires? These people have no respect for the dead.”
Meanwhile, the Kenfac Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA) said residents’ concerns are valid and urged the “relevant authorities” to take immediate action to ensure safety and security in the area.
Leslie Swartz, KRRA chair said: “We are also concerned about reports of informal structures emerging in and around the graveyard. If left unaddressed, these risks entrenching unsafe conditions, undermining lawful land use, and creating long-term social and planning challenges for the surrounding community.”
Swartz called for proper access control and security measures to be implemented, and for any unauthorized development to be halted.
We further call for transparent communication with residents, a clear management plan and a coordinated response that balances safety, dignity, and compliance with applicable planning and by-law frameworks.
Swartz said that their position was not one of exclusion, but of responsible management, public safety, and lawful governance, in the interest of both residents and those using the facility.
