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GRAAFF-REINET NEWS & VIDEO - A large-scale clean-up is ongoing at the Old Cemetery on Stockenstroom Street, Graaff-Reinet. 

The cemetery dates back to 1844 and is known as the Cradock Street Cemetery, but through the years people started referring to it as the Stockenstroom Street Cemetery. 

The cleaning and refurbishment process was initiated by Laine-Miri Coetzee and commenced on 29 May. Paul van den Berg and some others have funded the maintenance of the cemetery for the last 20 years. 

With the kick-off of the cleaning project, Van den Berg was present to keep an eye on the project. This war veteran had tears in his eyes, but also signs of excitement to tell the story of many who are buried there. But, not only Boer War veterans have been laid to rest there. To this day, people prefer to bury their loved ones in this cemetery. 

Van den Berg and his wife, Cornelia Engela's, graves and stones are already in place at the cemetery, where their love and respect for war veterans will continue to live long after their deaths. 

Watch a video below.

Anyone interested to help with the cleaning project can contact Johannes Haarhoff, Secretary of the Graaff-Reinet Heritage Society, on 076 569 0852 or via e-mail at johannes@haarhoff.org.za. 

People and businesses already supporting the cleaning process are Oasis, the SA College for Tourism (Sylvia Jansen), ISU Rommel, MC Dippenaar, Grassies Staal (Gustav Grasman), Johan de Lange, Johan Jansen and family, Garries Deysel and family, the Coetzee family, Desmond Kleyn and family, Elaine du Preez, Liz Malaya, Carmon Bakkery (Sias Cronje) and Andelé Vorster. 

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