Disturbing behaviour at cemetery: Men caught engaging in inappropriate acts
Residents near a Durban cemetery are raising concerns as men are reportedly engaging in inappropriate behaviour on graves, prompting calls for government intervention.
In Verulam, residents are protesting against disturbing sexual behavior occurring at the Wick Street Local Cemetery, involving men who have been seen standing or lying on graves while watching pornographic videos. These incidents have been reported almost daily since January, according to private security company Reaction Unit SA (RUSA). The Funeral Industry Reformed Association (FIRA) has expressed concern and called for decisive action from government, municipalities, and law enforcement.
Residents claim that the audio from the pornographic videos could be heard by children living nearby, causing distress. RUSA was alerted on Monday morning by Project 360, a security and cleaning company that had been receiving complaints from nearby residents. Municipal workers and members of the public have attempted to remove the men from the cemetery, but they return, sometimes in the presence of passersby.
RUSA plans to conduct regular drone patrols over the cemetery, with officers deployed when necessary. FIRA Chair Johan Rousseau questioned the standards of access control at cemeteries and the effectiveness of municipal oversight. He emphasized that cemeteries should remain places of dignity, remembrance, and mourning, where families can pay their respects without fear or exposure to inappropriate behavior.
Rousseau warned against normalizing the decline of our cemeteries and urged government intervention before the situation becomes normalized.
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