Families Urged to Help Identify Loved Ones Among 3,000 Unclaimed Bodies in State Mortuaries

The government is urgently appealing to families of missing individuals to visit their local police stations, as state mortuaries are overwhelmed with over 3,000 unidentified bodies awaiting claim nationwide.

The health department recently briefed the committee, shedding light on the key factors driving the problem.

Concerns were voiced about the potential risks unclaimed bodies pose to public health and safety. Several committee members stressed the importance of addressing allegations of corruption in mortuaries, where families have reportedly faced inflated fees to retrieve their loved ones’ remains.

The committee questioned the efficiency of DNA testing processes, demanding solutions from the department on how they plan to tackle the backlog that’s slowing down the identification of the deceased.

“Some committee members suggested establishing a tracking system for families of missing persons to facilitate communication and retrieval of remains,” Dhlomo said.

The health department announced plans to form a dedicated task force to handle the issue of unclaimed bodies. They also admitted that a significant backlog at forensic labs has been slowing down the processing of DNA samples, contributing to delays in identifying the deceased.

Efforts are in motion to accelerate testing by enhancing collaboration with law enforcement and boosting resource allocation, ensuring a faster and more efficient process.

Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced that a detailed update on the progress around unclaimed bodies will be released in October. This report will outline the measures implemented by the newly formed National Forensic Pathology Service Committee to address the issue.

When a mortuary is already filled to capacity with 50 bodies, any new arrivals risk being compromised. For instance, following a tragic bus accident on the N1 in Makhado, the designated facility was already struggling to manage the existing number of deceased, leading to serious concerns about their capacity to handle additional victims.

Mamashela emphasized the critical need for families to report missing persons to the police without delay. “Utilising the police’s missing persons bureau is essential,” she said, urging families to also bring any relevant documents or photographs to forensic pathology services to aid in the search.