A portion of Luveve cemetery was burnt by a veld fire which destroyed grave markers and some of the tombstones.
The cause of the fire is unknown but some residents blamed the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) which administers the cemetery for causing the fire to clear out the outgrown grass.
“BCC is responsible for the fire at Luveve cemetery, it destroyed grave markers and it will be difficult for people to identify the graves especially those without tombstones,” said one resident.
Another resident said some of the graves which were affected had just had their tombstones done and waiting to be unveiled.
A CITE news crew visited the cemetery and confirmed that a portion of the cemetery had been affected by the fire.
A group of prisoners were also observed slashing grass in another section of the cemetery.
Contacted for a comment, BCC Corporate communications manager, Nesisa Mpofu refuted claims that the council was responsible for starting the fire.
“The City of Bulawayo does not have a programme for burning grass as a way of clearing cemeteries. We are not sure what started the fire at the Luveve Cemetery and we are equally concerned. It is thus not true that the City burnt the grass,” she said.
