KEY POINTS
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A Limpopo family discovered their missing son had been buried as an unidentified pauper after a 2018 car crash; his body was exhumed following DNA identification.
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The discovery is part of a broader investigation into more than 40 unclaimed bodies buried without coffins or proper protocol in Mookgophong cemetery.
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With over 3,100 unclaimed bodies in state mortuaries nationally, the case has sparked demands for policy reform, transparency, and better family notification systems.
A grieving Limpopo family has finally found closure after a harrowing seven-year search for their missing son ended with the shocking discovery that he had been buried by the state as an unidentified pauper in 2018.
Sowetanlive reports that his remains were exhumed from a mass grave at Mookgophong cemetery following a court-approved operation prompted by a growing scandal surrounding improperly conducted state burials.
The 32-year-old man, who died in a car crash on the N1 near Mokopane, had been unidentified at the time of the accident. Without identification and with no one initially claiming the body, authorities buried him alongside more than 40 other unclaimed bodies, many without coffins or proper burial protocols.
It was only through recent advancements in forensic investigation, including DNA and fingerprint analysis, that the South African Police Service (SAPS) were able to confirm his identity and notify his family.
“The corpse of a 32-year-old African male person who died in a vehicle accident in 2018 and was buried by government as a pauper has been reconnected with his next of kin,” said SAPS spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba. “The family approached the police recently, not knowing he had died and was buried near Mookgophong.”
Mass graves, mismanagement spark national outcry over State burials
The exhumation came as part of a wider probe by provincial health and police authorities into the improper burial of more than 40 unclaimed bodies at Mookgophong cemetery.
Investigators were alarmed to find multiple bodies buried in unmarked, clustered graves, many without coffins—a clear violation of national burial protocols.
“The exhumation process, which began on May 5, unearthed a puzzling and deeply troubling discovery,” said Ledwaba. “Bodies were buried in a clustered fashion, contrary to the set standards and protocols.”
The situation has intensified scrutiny of how unclaimed bodies are handled in South Africa’s overwhelmed mortuary system. Regulations stipulate that if a body remains unclaimed for more than 30 days, it may be buried by the state. However, due to significant backlogs and mismanagement, thousands of bodies have been stored for years in state mortuaries.
By August 2024, more than 3,100 unclaimed bodies were recorded in forensic pathology facilities nationwide. Limpopo alone had 315, a significant increase from earlier that year. Other provinces, including the Western Cape, also reported hundreds of pauper burials, with many families later discovering that their loved ones had been buried without notification or dignity.
Forensic teams involved in the Mookgophong exhumation say the process was physically and emotionally taxing. “It was a difficult and demanding task,” Ledwaba said. “But ultimately, it brought closure to a family that had been living with unanswered questions for seven years.”
The Limpopo Department of Health, alongside the local municipality and SAPS, has launched a broader investigation into the scandal. Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has ordered a full review of the burial processes and potential disciplinary action for any misconduct.
Civil rights groups are now calling for urgent policy reform. “This tragedy highlights systemic neglect in our public health and justice systems,” said Nomsa Ndaba, spokesperson for the National Funeral Rights Association. “We demand stricter oversight, transparent communication with families, and an immediate review of state mortuary practices.”
No arrests have been made so far in connection with the Mookgophong burials, but authorities say the investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, the family has received the remains and plans to conduct a private funeral to honour their son with dignity.
