The Public Servants Association (PSA) has urged Eastern Cape Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa to urgently tackle the shocking state of state mortuaries and ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
In a statement this week, it said unidentified bodies have been stored at various mortuaries since 2019 for various reasons, and that apart from shoddy building maintenance, some mortuaries were also using containers in which to store bodies, failing to meet health standards.
“Employees work under hazardous conditions without adequate tools and proper protective clothing,” it added, while items supplied were often substandard and did not meet the South African Bureau of Standards requirements for the work.
Staff shortages remained a significant challenge, and an increase in staffing, especially more doctors, was vital “to address these pressing issues”, reports TimesLIVE.
The union said a priority was the immediate removal or state burial of unidentified bodies that had been stored in these mortuaries for years.
Last week a Bloemfontein mortuary was closed by the Department of Employment & Labour for failing to meet occupational health and safety standards.
TimesLIVE article – PSA laments poor state of Eastern Cape government mortuaries (Restricted access)
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Bloemfontein morgue closed for health, safety reasons
Unclaimed body count in state mortuaries tops 3 000