Pietermaritzburg son refuses to bury father over protection order dispute

A Pietermaritzburg man has refused to collect his father’s body from a government mortuary, saying his father was absent and abusive.

The man told Newzroom Afrika that they lived together, but a misunderstanding led his father to file a protection order against the family in early January, after which he moved out.

The son said his father never obtained him a birth certificate, and he still does not have an ID.

He added that his father continued to spend his pension on other people, leaving the family without support.

Thousands of Unclaimed Bodies Nationwide

Last year, IOL reported that 3 186 unclaimed and unidentified bodies are held in government mortuaries across South Africa, citing Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, chair of Parliament’s health portfolio committee.

KwaZulu-Natal accounts for 1 527 cases, while the Eastern Cape has 526.

Dhlomo said many bodies remain unclaimed because relatives have not come forward to identify and collect them.

Government Efforts to Address Backlog

Deputy Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla said the department provided a progress report on unclaimed bodies.

The report included updates on the National Forensic Pathology Service Committee, DNA testing backlogs, and steps to streamline identification processes.

Mortuary official Simelane said authorities can only release bodies for pauper burials once police investigations conclude.

Some bodies have remained in facilities for four or five years, taking up space.