DA health spokesman Jack Bloom said there were 607 unclaimed bodies – 582 unidentified – in mortuaries in the first five months of this year. <\/p>\n
"There has been an unacceptable delay in setting up an internet website to assist relatives in identifying bodies." <\/p>\n
Gauteng health spokeswoman Zanele Mngadi said a website would be operational within the next six months. <\/p>\n
Technical issues had held up its implementation, she said. <\/p>\n
Bloom said that 25 of the identified bodies were still unclaimed "probably because the family was too poor to afford burial". <\/p>\n
In 2006, there were 1584 unclaimed bodies in Gauteng, 1485 in 2005 and 1880 bodies in 2004. <\/p>\n
The figures were released by Gauteng health MEC Brian Hlongwa in a written reply to questions, he said. <\/p>\n
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." <\/p>\n
Many bodies were those of foreigners, he said. <\/p>\n