Bus ploughs over 25 graves
03/07/2008 23:13  - (SA)  

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Hilda Fourie, Beeld

Pretoria - A Tshwane metro bus crashed through the palisade fence of the Old Cemetery in Pretoria West on Wednesday morning, drove over 25 graves and came to a stop just short of the grave of South African painter J H Pierneef.

A member of the metro police, who was there, said the bus driver left the metro council bus depot in Church Street about 06:00. Apparently, she wanted to turn right into Church Street to transport commuters in the city.

According to the metro police witness, the driver said the bus's brakes failed, after which she lost control of the bus and drove straight across the street and through the cemetery fence.

The bus driver, who was not injured, was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for shock.

25 tombstones damaged

The metro police member said there wasn't necessarily speed involved, as the bus was very heavy and its momentum could cause it to crash through a fence.

The bus driver made a sharp right turn about 30m from where she crashed into the cemetery through the palisade fence and came to a stop against a tree less than 20m further on.

Pierneef's grave is on the other side of the tree.

The bus damaged 25 tombstones in the process.

The accident did not damage the family graves of former president Paul Kruger, which are located about 50m from the accident, nor did it damage the Heroes' Acre, which is also nearby.

The graves that were damaged were those of pioneer families who lived in Pretoria in the 19th century.

Members of the metro council and the metro police struggled for hours to get the bus off the graves and out of the cemetery.

According to a cemetery employee, they are still trying to establish which graves were damaged.

National heritage

Dr Murunwa Makwarela, executive director of strategy of the metro's department of agriculture and the environment, said some of the damaged graves were more than 100 years old.

"This cemetery is part of our national heritage," said Makwarela. "The place is sacred to us and has sentimental value.

"We will ensure the graves are restored as soon as possible to look the way they originally did."

The metro council's head of communications, Console Tleane, said the accident was regrettable. An investigation would be held to determine the cause.

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