Durban - IF the problems at the Magwaza Maphalala (Gale) Street Mortuary could not be resolved, the KZN legislature would consider moving the service to the Phoenix Mortuary, MPLs said this week.
On Tuesday, health committee chairperson Nomakiki Majola, deputy speaker Mluleki Ndobe, chairperson of committees Themba Mthembu and others visited the Gale Street Mortuary, as it’s still widely known.
They found there were several problems affecting its ability to deliver services, including the recruitment and retention of medical staff, and frequent labour unrest.
Majola and Ndobe said the Phoenix Mortuary could act as one of the interventions in assisting Gale Street with operations.
They were considering closing the Gale Street facility and moving its services to Phoenix Mortuary, which had a bigger capacity and could accommodate 500 bodies.
After visiting Gale Street Mortuary, they went to Phoenix Mortuary and found that this was the best facility and a model to follow, Ndobe said.
“We wanted to compare the worst mortuary with the best mortuary, and we were impressed with what we saw.
“If challenges at Gale Street aren’t resolved, then we’ll see it as a viable option that we move it to Phoenix.”
However, Public and Allied Workers’ Union of SA chairperson Halalisani Gumede condemned the proposed
closure of Gale Street Mortuary and said issues affecting the mortuary would have to be handled with care.
“People want a mortuary close to them. If they close the Gale Street Mortuary, would they provide transport for someone from uMlazi to Phoenix?” he asked.
On Wednesday members of the KZN legislature and the health portfolio committee continued their inspections of health facilities in the province.
MPL Celiwe Madlopha led the delegation to the Park Rynie Forensic Mortuary in the Ugu Municipality. The mortuary had also experienced strikes and the resulting backlogs in processing bodies, but the MPLs found everything in good order yesterday.
Madlopha said they found there were no backlogs or post-mortems outstanding.
“Everything was in order, it was clean. The number of paupers’ burials had been reduced and they had improved the turnaround time of complicated cases.”
She said they also checked infrastructure and the availability of equipment. They noted, however, that there were a few vacant posts which had likely affected service delivery.
Gumede said that he and the workers hoped the engagement they had had with the MPLs would be fruitful, because they were also given a chance to discuss the challenges facing them.
“We need to get solutions because labour issues also compromise people in the community,” he said.
Gumede said what stood out for him was the legislature’s concern about providing psychological support for the workers.