The remains of a stillborn baby were yesterday exhumed from a dumpsite on the grounds of an Eastern Cape hospital.
The exhumation comes after residents of Elliotdale and their traditional leaders approached law enforcement and the courts amid claims a baby had been buried on the premises of Madwaleni Hospital.
Yesterday Mqanduli cluster police, forensic pathology unit officers, hospital staff and board members looked on as the shallow grave near a tree at the bottom of the dumpsite was dug up.
It was alleged the baby had been buried in the hospital yard in June this year.
Mqanduli cluster police spokesman Major Zamukulungisa Jozana said the exhumation came about after local traditional leaders and community members approached the court.
“The traditional leader was granted an order by the Elliotdale Magistrate Court to exhume the body. I can confirm the remains of the decomposed body of the baby was exhumed today ,” said Jozana.
The Daily Dispatch was unable to obtain a copy of the court order. Jozana would not be drawn into the reason for the exhumation and referred further queries to provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
Resident and former hospital board chairman Xolile Gabada alleged the body was found in a dustbin by hospital workers and management ordered that it be buried.
“Myself and other staff reported it to our traditional leader, Chief Vuyisile Qothongo, after we several times tried to speak to hospital management but got no joy,” said Gabada.
The Daily Dispatch last week reported that three bodies of stillborn babies had been stored in the hospital’s mortuary for years.
Staff members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed one of the bodies had been there since 2012.
Provincial health portfolio committee chairman Mxolisi Dimaza last week lambasted Madwaleni Hospital management and described what he saw at the hospital as “disgusting”.
Hospital CEO Nomvulo Kopese yesterday declined to comment about the exhumation and referred questions to Kupelo.
Chief Vuyisile Qothongo’s spokesman, Gcinibandla Gwebindlala, yesterday confirmed that the chief had approached the court.
“This is of great concern to us. The hospital does not have a gravesite, but people must take home and bury their loved ones. This is a hospital to treat those who are sick, not to keep corpses and bury bodies.”
Gabada claimed that a young Willowvale mother came to Madwaleni Hospital in February last year to give birth to twins.
“She gave birth on February 12 and the baby died six days later on February 18. The body was only released to the family on September 28 this year.”
The woman who gave birth to the twins, who asked not to be named, said: “The baby who died was a girl. Her brother is now 18-months old. I don’t want to be reminded about it.”
Kupelo said the department of health was aware of the exhumation and that the issue of Madwaleni was being investigated.
He said there was no policy to bury bodies on hospital premises.
“If officials are found to have violated department policy, appropriate action will be taken and there will be an internal investigation.”
Kupelo said that at present health facilities in the OR Tambo district had a total of 79 unclaimed bodies and Butterworth had five unclaimed bodies.
He said the number of unclaimed babies was caused by a high rate of illegal abortions.
“The department is worried about the high number of illegal abortions prompted by the so-called pain-free abortions where mothers end up in hospitals, either dying or with full-term babies having been illegally aborted against their choice,” said Kupelo. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Baby’s body dug up in hospital grounds
The exhumation comes after residents of Elliotdale and their traditional leaders approached law enforcement and the courts amid claims a baby had been buried on the premises of Madwaleni Hospital.
Yesterday Mqanduli cluster police, forensic pathology unit officers, hospital staff and board members looked on as the shallow grave near a tree at the bottom of the dumpsite was dug up.
It was alleged the baby had been buried in the hospital yard in June this year.
Mqanduli cluster police spokesman Major Zamukulungisa Jozana said the exhumation came about after local traditional leaders and community members approached the court.
“The traditional leader was granted an order by the Elliotdale Magistrate Court to exhume the body. I can confirm the remains of the decomposed body of the baby was exhumed today ,” said Jozana.
The Daily Dispatch was unable to obtain a copy of the court order. Jozana would not be drawn into the reason for the exhumation and referred further queries to provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
Resident and former hospital board chairman Xolile Gabada alleged the body was found in a dustbin by hospital workers and management ordered that it be buried.
“Myself and other staff reported it to our traditional leader, Chief Vuyisile Qothongo, after we several times tried to speak to hospital management but got no joy,” said Gabada.
The Daily Dispatch last week reported that three bodies of stillborn babies had been stored in the hospital’s mortuary for years.
Staff members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed one of the bodies had been there since 2012.
Provincial health portfolio committee chairman Mxolisi Dimaza last week lambasted Madwaleni Hospital management and described what he saw at the hospital as “disgusting”.
Hospital CEO Nomvulo Kopese yesterday declined to comment about the exhumation and referred questions to Kupelo.
Chief Vuyisile Qothongo’s spokesman, Gcinibandla Gwebindlala, yesterday confirmed that the chief had approached the court.
“This is of great concern to us. The hospital does not have a gravesite, but people must take home and bury their loved ones. This is a hospital to treat those who are sick, not to keep corpses and bury bodies.”
Gabada claimed that a young Willowvale mother came to Madwaleni Hospital in February last year to give birth to twins.
“She gave birth on February 12 and the baby died six days later on February 18. The body was only released to the family on September 28 this year.”
The woman who gave birth to the twins, who asked not to be named, said: “The baby who died was a girl. Her brother is now 18-months old. I don’t want to be reminded about it.”
Kupelo said the department of health was aware of the exhumation and that the issue of Madwaleni was being investigated.
He said there was no policy to bury bodies on hospital premises.
“If officials are found to have violated department policy, appropriate action will be taken and there will be an internal investigation.”
Kupelo said that at present health facilities in the OR Tambo district had a total of 79 unclaimed bodies and Butterworth had five unclaimed bodies.
He said the number of unclaimed babies was caused by a high rate of illegal abortions.
“The department is worried about the high number of illegal abortions prompted by the so-called pain-free abortions where mothers end up in hospitals, either dying or with full-term babies having been illegally aborted against their choice,” said Kupelo. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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