In South Africa, more than 2,000 unclaimed bodies remain in mortuaries, with KwaZulu-Natal reporting the highest number at 1,336, according to Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla.
Responding to a Parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance MP, Madeleine Hicklin, Phaahla said as of March 15, there were 2,091 unclaimed bodies in mortuaries across the country.
KZN has the highest count (1,336) followed by Limpopo (283) and the North West (266).
Dr Phaahla said an unidentified must be moved to a freezer within seven days of admission, and if such body remains unidentified for 30 days, the municipal council under whose jurisdiction the designated facility is, must ensure that a pauper burial for such body is undertaken.
"The person in charge of a facility where there is an unidentified body must ensure that complete details of such body, including a photograph, fingerprints, and blood or tissue sample, are taken from the body and archived," Phaahla said.
According to Health deputy minister, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, looking at the statistics from the number of murders recorded, the number of most unnatural deaths are recorded in pockets of KZN.
He said these deaths are as a result of shootings, stabbings and road crashes.
He said of the over 1,000 bodies in KZN, the cause of death in more than half of the cases are from shootings, stabbings and road crashes.
As per the third quarter crime statistics 2023/24, police minister Bheki Cele said murders were most reported in KZN with Inanda once again reported among the highest numbers while 78 murders were linked to vigilantism and mob justice attacks.
In releasing the 2023/24 festive season road traffic stats, Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, said KZN recorded a 4.2% increase in road fatalities.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Dhlomo said bodies are brought into morgues with queries from police for their investigations.
He said post mortems are conducted on these bodies and then there is an expectation that a relative will come forward to take the body for burial.
Dhlomo explained that this process must be done in 30 days and if families do not come collect, the department has to approach the necessary authorities to conduct a pauper’s funeral and this becomes another issue due over burial space.
He explained if the 30 days lapse, and a pauper’s funeral is conducted, DNA samples are processed and stored so that should a family member come forward years later, they are able to exhume and hand over remains to the family.
An employee at a KZN-based morgue, said at least 20 to 30 bodies are brought into mortuaries a month.
The employee, who asked not to be named, added that in most of these cases, the cause of death is unnatural. The employee added that there are also cases in which homeless people are brought in and it is difficult to trace their families.
In how this pressure can be alleviated, Dhlomo said an inter-ministerial committee needs to be set up across the departments of Health, Police, Home Affairs, Justice and Constitutional Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
He said this could assist the identifying people faster to ensure bodies are identified and collected.
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