Johannesburg – Eleven of the bodies recovered from the CBD fire that claimed 77 lives have been positively identified using the new Forensic Pathology Digital Fingerprint System.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) on Sunday said it was “pleased that the investment made in the Forensic Pathology Digital Fingerprint System is yielding positive results”.
Earlier this year in July 2023 Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko unveiled the digital fingerprint system.
The GDoH on Sunday added: “The system has seen the Gauteng Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) managing to identify additional people from the 62 unidentifiable victims of the Johannesburg inner-city building fire incident.
“Salvaged fingerprints of the deceased were processed through the digital fingerprint system to identify 11 more people.”
The GDoH said after autopsies were done and the deceased cleaned, further body examinations were done where another seven bodies were identified by families through various features such as tattoos and other body marks.
“This means 18 more bodies were identified, bringing the number of identifiable bodies to 30 when combined with the 12 that were originally identifiable,” said the GDoH.
“The number of unidentifiable bodies is now 44.
The GDoH said as of Sunday, (10 September 2023), 76 families have presented at the Diepkloof Forensic Pathology Service mortuary in Soweto to report their loved ones which have resulted in a line list of 74 names that possibly perished in the Johannesburg inner-city fire being developed.
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The fire has since claimed 77 people, three of whom died in hospital.
The GDoH said the South African Police Service Victim Identification Centre unit has drawn 38 Antemortem swabs from the families and is currently cross-referencing these to the DNA samples from the unidentifiable bodies as part of linking families with their deceased loved ones.
“The number of bodies collected has since increased from 12 to 20 as of Friday, (8 September 2023),” said the GDoH.
“Only 27 patients remain admitted at various hospitals Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, and Tembisa Hospital.”
The Gauteng Provincial Government has availed a hotline number for families to make inquiries through the toll-free hotline number on 0800 203 886 or direct line during office hours on 0113553048/ 0112415707.
Alternatively they can visit the Diepkloof mortuary, which is located at Number 2 Collinder Road Berthsam, Diepkloof, Soweto (Behind Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital).
