A Battle to Save our Heritage

Dear Supporters, We've passed the 300 signature mark and we are grateful for every signature we have received thus far for this petition. Last month, we managed to get some media coverage in the Independent on Saturday and the Sunday Tribune Herald. I also had the opportunity of meeting the Naidoo family whose great grandfather was buried at the cemetery. Sadly, his tombstone along with many others was maliciously and illegally destroyed some time around 2009/10. Back at the cemetery, it is business as usual. Heavy duty trucks enter and leave on a regular basis. The freight containers still tower over the historic crematorium and the other old buildings. The old crematorium building lies empty and abandoned, showing signs of neglect over the years. Last month also saw the official opening of the 1860 HERITAGE CENTRE by KZN MEC FOR ARTS & CULTURE. All I can say is that this is such hypocrisy on the part of our community leaders and Government. Last month also saw the official opening of the CATO MANOR MUSEUM which has been built around the tomb of the Zulu King's late mother. Yet a few metres away, the CATO MANOR INDIAN CEMETERY lies in ruins. While one half of Cato Manor celebrated, the other half mourned the loss of a historic heritage site which no one seems to care about. On the 31st May 2017 we submitted our petition to the Minister of Environmental Affairs, and we await her response to the petition. In the mean time I am still trying to seek the availability of the Deputy Mayor and senior municipal officials to try and formally present the petition. The legal representatives of the CATO MANOR INDIAN CEMETERY & CREMATORIUM ASSOCIATION continue to ignore us and our requests to formally hand over the petition. We will keep trying... Don't forget - if you have pertinent information to share, you may send it to savethecemetery@gmail.com. Thank you once again for your support. regards Kuben