Families of Marshalltown fire deceased allegedly extorted for R700, as 44 bodies lay unclaimed
While more than 40 bodies of the 77 bodies pulled from the Marshalltown building debris lay unclaimed in Gauteng mortuaries, families wanting to bury their loved ones claim they’re being asked to pay monies for the bodies to be handed over.
The Democratic Alliance's (DA) Madeleine Hicklin said all the remains of those charred in the Marshalltown fire were taken to the Diepkloof morgue and only 30 bodies have been identified.
"Forty-four bodies remain awaiting identification, according to the Gauteng Department of Health, while 74 potential names were presented to the SA Police Service Victim Identification Centre Unit, but the issue of undocumented persons with no known relatives in Johannesburg is still said to be making the identification of the remains of other victims, extremely challenging," she said.
Hicklin said families were expected to pay a fee of R700 for the autopsy and release of the body.
"This, despite these services being conducted for free by the Forensic Pathology Services attached to all state mortuaries," she said.
Hicklin added that families are being shoved from pillar to post as the anticipated use of biometric and DNA identification systems seems to have stalled.
The Health Department has denied the claims.
According to The Star, the department has urged family members who have been asked to pay for the storage and release of their loved ones’ bodies at the Diepkloof Forensic Pathology Services to report the matter to the police.
IOL