Website needed for unclaimed Gauteng bodies
DA health spokesman Jack Bloom said there were 607 unclaimed bodies – 582 unidentified – in mortuaries in the first five months of this year.
"There has been an unacceptable delay in setting up an internet website to assist relatives in identifying bodies."
Gauteng health spokeswoman Zanele Mngadi said a website would be operational within the next six months.
Technical issues had held up its implementation, she said.
Bloom said that 25 of the identified bodies were still unclaimed "probably because the family was too poor to afford burial".
In 2006, there were 1584 unclaimed bodies in Gauteng, 1485 in 2005 and 1880 bodies in 2004.
The figures were released by Gauteng health MEC Brian Hlongwa in a written reply to questions, he said.
Said Bloom: "The website identification system should be set up as soon as possible, and there should be more publicity about the assistance that municipalities can provide for indigent burial."
Many bodies were those of foreigners, he said.
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