Forty abandoned corpses at funeral parlor - parliamentary statement
(7 September 2005)This situation is so horrific it defies description. We can only speculate at the sorrow and anger that the families of these people will feel once bodies are identified. Or for that matter the horror that the neighbouring community must be feeling at this stage.
It also unclear at this stage whether all or some of these people were simply not buried, or whether more nefarious motives lie behind this saga; the police will have to determine whether these people were victims of murder.
What this sordid incident has highlighted once more is the fly-by-night status of many funeral parlours and similar businesses purporting to assist bereaved families. There are simply too many reckless and heartless people out there who are willing to exploit grieving families when they are at their most vulnerable. It is part of South African tradition, across all cultural groups, to spare no expense in sending off a loved one in the proper way. The result is that funerals and related issues have become a massive multi-million Rand a month industry. The need for this industry cannot be disputed, but no caring Government can simply sit by whilst these fly-by-nights operate in this fashion. Enhanced regulation and policing of these businesses are urgently required.