Durban - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said through DNA testing five unidentified bodies had been positively linked with families.
Dube-Ncube was giving an update on Sunday on the progress made five months after the April floods.
She said to date at least 27 bodies had not been identified with 12 profiles generated but not identified.
“So far, five cases have been positively linked with families, while two cases have returned a negative result, and will have to be re-conducted.
“We understand the frustration of the families about the pace on the DNA services, we are doing our best to get the DNA services completed timeously to enable families to find closure. This we are trying to do in the most human of ways possible,” said Dube-Ncube.
The KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department announced in May that the 48 people still missing following the floods were all presumed dead.
Last month, the South African Human Rights Commission said it was concerned about unclaimed bodies after the floods in both KZN and the Eastern Cape.