A war cemetery near Newcastle was vandalised by robbers who were apparently looking for treasure, the Amafa Heritage in KwaZulu-Natal said on Monday.
The robbers used a front-end loader to gouge at graves and destroy headstones at Skuinshoogte, a burial site of a battle of the first Anglo-Boer South African War.
The Amafa Heritage head of support services, James van Vuuren, said the vehicle’s tracks could be followed both ways through the long grass but disappeared when they reached the road. The front-end loader forced its way through the surrounding stone wall.
Damage to the gravestones was severe but there was no sign of human bones having been unearthed.
”We presume this was another attempt to find treasure,” Van Vuuren said.
”There is a widely held belief that military cemeteries contain treasure and it is becoming a serious problem in various parts of the province. But this is the first time we have experienced mechanised grave-robbing.”
Police were investigating and estimates of the damage to the site were being compiled, he said. — Sapa