Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that more than 116 000 deaths were registered with Home Affairs Offices across the country between March and June 2020, when the country was experiencing an increase in the rate of coronavirus infections.
Motsoaledi made the revelations in a written reply to a DA parliamentary question in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
DA Free State delegate in the NCOP George Michalakis wanted Motsoaledi to give figures for the same period in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
South Africa reportedly recorded nearly 60% more natural deaths than expected due to COVID-19:
In March alone, 36 130 deaths were registered at Home Affairs offices across the country, followed by 30 842 in April. In May, there were 31 608 registered deaths.
The lowest was in the month of June with 18 155 deaths registered with Home Affairs offices.
This brings the total number of deaths that were registered at Home Affairs offices under lockdown between March and June 2020 to 116 735.
The report shows a significant decrease when compared to 2019 when 152 889 deaths were recorded in the same period. This means there were 36 154 less deaths registered at Home Affair offices between March and June 2020 than in 2019 during the same period.
