Several families in Limpopo have come forward with disturbing accounts of finding the remains of their loved ones decomposing at two government hospitals. One patient, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared his experience at Elim Hospital in the Vhembe District, where he discovered his mother’s body lying on the hospital mortuary floor among several other decomposing bodies.
“The smell was unbearable in the mortuary. Everything was dead inside, no electricity, no water, just decomposing human bodies,” he recalled. Jeffrey Khosa, the chairperson of the Waterval-Hlanganani Development Forum, confirmed that issues with the morgue at Elim Hospital have been ongoing since 2013.
Jennifer Baloyi, another affected individual, made the decision to use a private mortuary after hearing about the poor conditions at Elim Hospital when her teenage son passed away. Takalani Mulovhedzi, the provincial spokesperson for the Progressive Civic Congress, acknowledged receiving complaints about the state of the mortuary at Elim Hospital, with reports of malfunctioning fridges and a foul smell.
At Matlala Hospital in the Sekhukhune district, similar complaints have emerged. A family in Makgatle village was shocked to find their relative still in his hospital bed a day after his death. The hospital staff explained that the mortuary was experiencing breakdowns due to lack of maintenance, leading to delays in transferring bodies to private mortuaries.
In response to these allegations, the Limpopo Department of Health denied that the problems were widespread. Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana stated that the challenges with the chiller plant at Elim Hospital had been resolved and all facilities with mortuaries were functioning optimally. He refuted claims that deceased patients were left on their beds while waiting for private undertakers, clarifying that bodies were placed in seclusion areas until collected by family-appointed undertakers.
The department advised community members to escalate communication issues with health facilities management to governance structures such as hospital boards for better coordination. Despite the reassurances from the health department, the disturbing accounts from families highlight the urgent need for improved morgue services in Limpopo hospitals to ensure the dignified handling of deceased individuals.
