Durban - The workings of the illicit but lucrative trade in body parts came to the fore this week when the mutilated bodies of two elderly women were discovered at a top Durban funeral facility.
The women, aged 96 and 69, both from the greater Durban area, were sent to the Greyville branch of Doves Funeral parlour last week. They had died of natural causes.
However, on Monday, it was discovered that the vaginas and a breast had been harvested from each woman. Their identities are known to the Sunday Tribune.
Doves has placed six of its funeral directors at their facility on suspension, because the genitalia were lifted under their watch.
According to a well-placed source both bodies arrived intact last week.
The grim find was made by an attendant conducting an administrative duty, the source said.
Both women were due to have low-key “non-attendance” cremations.
When contacted for comment, the families of both women asked that the identities be withheld.
SAPS spokesman Jay Naicker confirmed charges of violation of a corpse had been laid at their Durban Central station. “We have yet to make arrests,” he said.
Experts confirmed that the trade in body parts, particularly the body parts and skin of white people, was big business.
Seasoned medic, Dr Steve Naidoo, who has been employed by the State as a pathologist for 28 years, said the mutilation of bodies in mortuaries was nothing new.
“I’ve seen many instances in which bodies are mutilated. Genitals of both men and women are targeted.”
The doctor spoke of an instance in which a young white man who had died of natural causes had his breast cut off in a state mortuary.
Social anthropologist Mary de Haas said she was not surprised by the news. “The trade in body parts is operated by syndicates and it is a lucrative business.”
Employees of mortuaries were often linked to syndicates, she said.
She said white bodies were most vulnerable because white people usually cremate their dead and seldom checked or viewed bodies before cremation.
“There should be tighter controls at mortuaries. The management of Doves needs to provide answers,” De Haas said.
Chief executive of the Dove’s group, Minki Ngcobo, said they were horrified by the incident. She said it was the first time Doves had registered such an incident at any of their branches.
“This act could only be carried out by someone who had authority to enter the facility. We contacted the police as soon as we learnt about the bodies,” she said.
The
six staff members who had been suspended were all funeral directors or junior employees, Ngcobo said.
Employees at the branch were subjected to lie detector tests.
“We will soon find out if any of the senior employees were also involved.”
Ngcobo said apart from contacting the police and carrying out the lie detector tests, they were also in the process of appointing a forensic investigator, scheduling an internal disciplinary hearing, and reviewing security details at all of their branches.
Sunday Tribune