Over 3000 Unclaimed Corpses in Hospitals, South Africans Stunned

• The Portfolio Committee on Health revealed that South African government mortuaries are struggling with a high number of dead bodies
• It revealed that the government mortuaries have 3000 unclaimed bodies, with KwaZulu-Natal having the highest number of bodies
• South Africans questioned the efforts the government made in finding the corpses' relatives to give them closure

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

WESTERN CAPE — Parliament heard that the high number of dead bodies burdens government mortuaries.

3000 bodies in gov mortuaries

According to IOL, the Portfolio Committee on Health in Parliament heard on 18 September that government mortuaries have 3000 unclaimed bodies. KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of corpses in the country, followed by the Eastern Cape.

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The Limpopo Chairperson of the National Forensic Pathology Services Committee, Dr Thakadu Mamashela, revealed that the bodies are in forensic pathology mortuaries, whose job is to provide medico-legal investigations of the deaths that occur.

South Africans have questions

Netizens discussing the findings on Facebook questioned the efforts the government is making to help families identify the bodies.

Sibongile Felicia Dhlamini said:

"Publish their names. We have family members who went missing for years."

Hlehle Ruth said:

"I'm ready to take DNA samples since I lost my brother in the KZN floods."

Thabisile Ndhlehle said:

"What measures have been taken to trace families? I mean, we see and share posts about missing persons every day."

Sydney Kumalo said:

"They must use DNA tests, fingerprints and their personal information to verify their true identities with Home Affairs."

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Dearest Flower said:

"Publish a list with their names and then give people 30 days before burying them. What's so difficult?"

900 unclaimed bodies in GP

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Gauteng mortuaries had 900 unidentified bodies in 2023.

The government called on the public to contact the mortuaries to identify if their loved ones were among the deceased.

Source: Briefly News