The Gauteng Department of Health in Gauteng has recorded 938 unclaimed and unidentified bodies at their 11 forensic pathology services mortuaries in the past two months. The department has urged families who have missing relatives to visit the mortuaries in the province to check if their loved ones are not part of the unidentified bodies.

 CONCERNING NUMBERS

The department says they are concerned about the rising numbers and hope families will come forward soon. Pretoria has the highest number of unidentified bodies with 263, followed by Johannesburg with 187, Germiston with 127 bodies, Sebokeng with 94, Garankuwa 69, Carletonville 45, Soweto 49, Ga-Rankuwa 69, Springs 49, Roodepoort with 38 and 8 in Bronkhorspruit.

NUMBERS RISING BY THE DAY 

 MEC for Health in Gauteng Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said that it is worrying that the number of unclaimed and identified bodies is increasing by the day. "There are families who have been looking for their loved ones not knowing where they are. We encourage them to visit the mortuaries to check if their loved ones are not part of the unclaimed bodies, and if that is the case, they can give them a proper burial," said the MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.

IDENTIFICATION PROCESS 

 Nkomo-Ralehoko says if a family member or relative wishes to identify their loved one, they should have their original Identity Document (ID), the ID of the deceased or birth certificate of the deceased if it's a child. In a case where the deceased is a foreign national, a passport, asylum seeker certificate, or a letter from the country of origin confirming who the deceased is and to whom the remains should be handed over to is needed. "Once a body of a deceased is not identified or claimed within seven days fingerprints are sent to the Criminal Record Centre and Home Affairs. The results are then shared with the South African Police Service as the deceased body belongs to the SAPS who must give a go-ahead for a pauper's burial," said Nkomo-Ralehoko. She says that when the identity of the deceased is now known, the Gauteng forensic pathology services make efforts such as publishing the names on different media platforms and where possible visiting the addresses provided to inform the relatives or the public about the unclaimed bodies to afford families the closure they need after the passing of a family member.