A parliamentary reply (view here) to questions posed by the DA has revealed that there are a total of 1 197 unclaimed bodies at KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) five largest medico-legal mortuaries – with the oldest remains dating back to 2017.
The shocking seven-year backlog was confirmed by KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, during a Sitting of the KZN Legislature held yesterday. This despite her earlier written reply stating 2019.
The finding comes after it was revealed in September that there were 3 186 unclaimed bodies across the country, with KZN accounting for 1 527 bodies.
In her reply, the MEC states that KZN’s Department of Health (DoH) has concluded its requirements in respect of the bodies – including post-mortems, sample collections and other identifying criteria – but that the hold-up lies with SAPS.
According to the MEC, SAPS’ failure to issue pauper statements is behind the backlog in burials. The situation is allegedly exacerbated by having to wait for SAPS to finalise other processes, including tracing next of kin and the provision of DNA kits, all of which must take place before the investigating officer will provide a pauper statement.
MEC Simelane further claims that the shocking backlog figures are exacerbated by inadequate municipal budgets to conduct pauper burials and a lack of suitable space within some municipalities.
She also indicates that a few municipalities do not have contracted funeral undertakers to perform pauper burials which results in human remains not being buried. Regardless of these challenges, municipalities have a duty to allocate budgets to pauper burials.
The reality is that KZN is turning to an above-ground graveyard.
The DA has escalated this matter to the National Police Committee, drawing attention to the need for personnel, funding and due process to allow for completion of all SAPS-related responsibilities. We have also written to the committee chairperson to seek intervention at that level.
For too long grieving families have been denied closure and the deceased deprived of the dignity and respect they deserve.
The DA calls on SAPS to finalize processes as a matter of extreme urgency so that municipalities can proceed to bury the deceased. The affected families must find closure while there must be dignity for the deceased.
The DA will leverage its position as part of the Government of Provincial Unity and National Unity to ensure that SAPS are held accountable, and that this injustice is corrected.