Residents of Beira city in the central Mozambican province of Sofala have called for protection of local cemeteries amid reports of vandalism of graves.
At the Mangalane cemetery, more than 50 graves have been vandalised in the past month. The criminals are removing copper crucifixes and other metallic objects.
The traditional leader responsible for the cemetery, Fernando Jaime, said the acts of desecration have been taking place in broad daylight.
“They take crosses and other objects of dead people they find beside the grave. They put these things together and sell them for scrap,” he told local media.
Carlos Cassicussa, a resident of the Mungassa neighbourhood, said the situation was the result of a degradation of moral values.
“This behaviour is really wrong. The interior ministry should take action. They come to the cemetery even at noon,” he said.
