South African authorities may begin holding pauper’s funerals next month for 66 unclaimed corpses from 78 found in a gold mine in Stilfontein, North West province, in January, a health official said.
Tshegofatso Mothibedi, a spokesman for the North West province’s Health Department, said family members have already identified 12 bodies, but time is running out for the remaining 66.
“The National Act 61 of 2003, combined with Regulation 43 of forensic pathologist services, states that if bodies remain in our facilities for more than 30 days, the municipal council or government may bury them,” Mothibedi was quoted as saying by local media on Wednesday.
However, he said, “Given the circumstances and the sensitivity of the situation, we know that some of these individuals are from our neighboring countries. So we decided to put that process on hold. But, starting next month, we will begin the process of pauper’s funerals.
“We are working with the police services to ensure that our communities come forward (to claim these bodies).”
The 78 were rescued from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, along with 246 other survivors.
Civil rights groups believe they died of starvation and dehydration while trapped in one of the country’s deepest mines, though no cause of death was determined at the time of retrieval.
Logistical assistance has also been cited as a requirement to aid in the identification of bodies strewn about morgues in the province, as some of the deceased’s families are believed to be outside Stilfontein and South Africa.
