1406 autopsy reports not completed since last year

10 August 2017

Hundreds of court cases are delayed in Gauteng because 1406 reports have not been completed and typed up from autopsies done last year.

This has been revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Ramokgopa, 11034 autopsies were conducted in Gauteng state mortuaries last year, but only 9628 reports were completed and typed up. These means that reports from one in eight autopsies are outstanding.

The missing reports are due to "outstanding results (Toxicology/Alcohol) from National Health Laboratories and shortage of admin staff."

Ramokgopa says that this "results in delays in court processes."

I am concerned that so many autopsy reports are delayed as they are critical evidence of unnatural death in court proceedings.

Pathologists in the mortuaries complain that there are not enough typists to assist them with the reports.

Ramokgopa says that the department "is in the process of setting up an electronic management system which will assist in ensuring that court reports and photographs are readily available."

This electronic system is needed, but it is a lack of typists that is delaying the reports, which is simple to fix.

Administrative support should be improved to ensure that the backlog of autopsy reports is eliminated.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 10 August 2017