The Bloemfontein Government Mortuary has been operational for a month with improved turnaround times for autopsies. This comes after numerous interventions and meetings between the management team of the Free State department of health and the provincial office of the department of labour and employment since it was closed in October last year.
The reopening of the mortuary has been commended by Jaco Smith, Elite Funeral Group’s founder, who said “operations currently seem to be running smoothly”. Jeanette Ball, owner of Emmanuel Funerals, still expressed concerns about the overall process, adding that she hopes families will be able to receive the deserved dignity, care, and compassion both for themselves and for the ones they’ve lost.
Bloemfontein Courant reached out to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to find out how this brings relief to the law fraternity, as pending cases rely on forensic and DNA reports that form part of the evidence used during prosecution. No immediate response was received.
Advocate Allen Simpson, who worked for the NPA for over 32 years before entering private practice, said as the cause of death is crucial to any prosecution, his concern is that crucial information may already have been lost due to previous backlogs. He is afraid that processes may be rushed to keep up with backlogs.
“If you don’t have a post-mortem examination, you cannot know what the cause of death is, and the case cannot be presented in court… The body does not stay in that state forever; especially if the mortuary is not functioning as it is supposed to, you can only imagine certain onsets of decay,” he said.
In response, the Free State department of health’s spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, said the autopsies are carried out following the national guidelines for Forensic Pathology Services. “The highest scientific rigour and quality standards are upheld at all times. Autopsies are performed by forensic specialists, while all other medical practitioners work under their supervision,” he said.
Mvambi has been updating Bloemfontein Courant every week regarding the progress since the mortuary reopened in July. He said the department has moved swiftly in response to the issues that led to the issuing of a prohibition notice late last year. The department is managing the situation by adhering to the Occupational Health and Safety Standards as well as the procurement and installation of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.
“We are highly pleased with the sustained progress of the turnaround work at the mortuary. The mortuary has performed consistently well since it was reopened and there’s no outstanding work of autopsies even amid the water closures that were experienced in the city,” he said.
The Free State MEC for health, Monyatso Mahlatsi, also applauded the Forensic Pathology Services for their efforts from 14 July to 19 July, during which a total of 72 autopsies were completed. “To sustain this great work, we must ensure that we do not regress to the stressful, long waiting times that have subjected our people to secondary trauma while they await the return of their loved ones for burial,” he said.
READ MORE: FREE STATE GOVERNMENT MORTUARY REOPENS PARTIALLY AFTER LABOUR DEPARTMENT CLOSURE
Families are still encouraged to contact the mortuary before planning burial dates to confirm that all medicolegal investigations, including autopsies, have been completed. According to the department, the approach will help families avoid unnecessary travel costs and the disappointment of last-minute delays due to outstanding legal proceedings.
Mahlatsi noted that complex cases, such as burnt or decomposed bodies, may require DNA analysis by the police, which can delay the release of remains.
