The DA has expressed concern over the high number of unidentified and unclaimed bodies in Gauteng mortuaries.
In a written reply in the Legislature, Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa revealed that the provincial state mortuaries have 2 366 unclaimed and unidentified bodies since March last year.
The majority of them are unidentified, while 79 are unclaimed bodies.
The DA’s Jack Bloom says he suspects that some of the missing 21 former Life Esidimeni patients could be among them.
He says it is very tragic that so many bodies are unclaimed and unidentified.
” I think there are many families who lost their loved ones, who don’t even know that they’ve been buried anonymously. I think it is a reflection of the high crime rate in Gauteng that there are so many unnatural deaths. I think it would be really good if we had a website with controlled access so that people can search for the missing people on the website,” says Bloom.
