Sol Plaatje must turn streetlights on for festive season
Democratic Alliance press statement by
Dr Isak Fritz MPL
DA Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson of Health
DA welcomes SAHRC findings but remains concerned about Kimberley mortuary
31 May 2016
Release: immediate
The DA welcomes the recent findings of an investigation into the conditions at the Kimberley mortuary by the South African Human Rights Commission. The investigation was prompted by the DA, following an incident in 2015, when human blood flowed into the streets as a result of a blocked drain at the mortuary.
We however remain deeply concerned about the current and future state of the facility.
Based on the SAHRC’s investigation, the Health Department conceded that they are not complying with certain health and safety standards.
According to the department, mortuary facilities were inherited from SAPS in 2006, on the brink of disrepair and not in compliance with certain health and safety aspects, when the function was transferred to health. They admit that the design of the mortuaries is not correct, nor ideal, and that infrastructure was not built to cater for the post 2006 transfer. The department further indicated that whilst an upgrade commenced in 2008 to address the non-compliance issues, the project was halted in 2009 due to a dispute between the department and the respective implementing agent until 2014.
Sol Plaatje municipality, which was also requested by the SAHRC to investigate the DA’s complaint, given that local government has a responsibility to monitor mortuaries, also found that hygiene at the premises was not up to standard and that cigarette butts were lying all over the floor in the mortuary facility.
The DA appreciates the SAHRC’s commitment to monitor the compliance of the Kimberley mortuary to environmental laws. What concerns us however, is that the department currently has no short term solution in sight to ensure future compliance by the Kimberley mortuary.
A reply to a parliamentary question last year indicated that a new Kimberley mortuary was scheduled for delivery in the 2018/2019 financial year, at a cost of approximately R150 million. However, given the department’s dire funding situation, this no longer appears to be possible.
We hope that the newly appointed HOD, Liz Botes, will give attention to the state of mortuaries in Kimberley and the rest of the province. The hampering of quality services for over a decade is inexcusable and requires the department to come up with a realistic plan to speedily improve the state of mortuaries in the Northern Cape.
The staff working at the facility deserve safe and clean working conditions while the deceased, and their families, deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. This is the least the department can do.
Media enquiries:
Isak Fritz
DA Northern Cape Provincial Spokesperson of Health
083 395 2737
Shelley De Witt
Researcher
082 847 1387
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