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Transfer of state mortuaries from SAPS to Health Department
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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MEDIA RELEASE
 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 11 APRIL 2001

TRANSFER OF STATE MORTUARIES FROM SAPS TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Eastern Cape Premier Makhenkesi Stofile says the state mortuaries will be transferred from the South African Police Services to the 
Department of Health as soon as the administrative issues are resolved between the affected departments.

Premier Stofile said this while visiting the Humansdorp Police Station today, as part of the Executive Council Outreach Programme to the 
Tsitsikamma Region. The Premier held a meeting with the local community police forum today. He said the policy decision had been taken to 
transfer these services to where they could best be delivered. He said negotiations were underway regarding the implementation of the 
decision among the SAPS which had been running some state mortuaries, the Department of Health that is responsible for forensic 
investigations and hospital mortuaries, as well as the Department of Public Works which is a custodian of public buildings. The Premier 
said, when the matter is settled, more space would be available for the Humansdorp police to improve the management and the delivery of 
safety and security services.

The announcement came after the local police and the community police forum expressed serious concerns regarding the availability of space 
for managing over 700 prisoners per month in preparation for their appearance in the Humansdorp courts. The station commander, 
Superintendent Andries Landman said the local police had to register these prisoners from all over the region including Joubertina, 
Jeffrey’s Bay, Kareedow and St Albans, who have to appear in the magistrate or regional courts in Humansdorp. Superintendent Landman said 
the local communities had to wait outside the police station while the police were registering and holding the prisoners in the police 
cells.

Also commenting on the matter, MEC for Health, Dr Bevan Goqwana said the shift was aimed at improving professionalism of the mortuary 
services. He said before any concrete administrative actions were taken and audit of the services, the condition of the mortuaries and 
requisite resources to ensure smooth transfers had to be undertaken. The rationalization programme was designed also to integrate various 
state mortuaries some of which were run by the South African Police Services and others by the Health Department. He said the principle of 
funds-follow-functions would apply when the transfers were being effected.

The Humansdorp Community Police Forum also reported a considerable decline in a number of reported crimes. They said farm attacks had 
significantly declined with only one attack in about two years and cases of domestic violence also had declined from over 60 to about 30 
cases per month. They also reported that community workshops are being run to capacitate the communities to make a significant contribution 
in fighting crime in the area. The Humansdorp Police Station is also one of fourteen police stations of the Eastern Cape which are 
benefiting from a project funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID).

Premier Stofile welcomed the news of the decline of crime and urged the team to spur no effort to reduce and eliminate crime, so that the 
full development and tourism potential of the region could be realized.

Issued: Communications Division - Office of the Premier
 Inquiries: Manelisi Wolela - 040-6392070/082 414 7768
E-mail Address: manelisi@otpmleg1.ecape.gov.za

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