Update: Still waiting after 5 years: Families demand answers from Germiston Mortuary

On September 2, the Alberton Record reported on the case of Enrique, a young man who died on May 2.

His family said they were still waiting months later for his autopsy report, after being told it could take up to five or six years to complete.

Following that report, other families have come forward with similar stories of frustration and heartache.

“It’s been five years and two months”

One of those families is the De Abreu family, who lost their wife, mother and grandmother in July 2020.

Francesca Figueira recalled the days leading up to her mother’s passing.

“On June 26, 2020, my mom was admitted to Netcare Waterfall for treatment by her doctors. She had been ill for a while, so we admitted her there, hoping her doctors would get to the bottom of her illness.

“A few days after her admission, my mom fell in the shower and broke her femur. A cardiologist picked up that she needed an aorta valve replacement, so on July 3, 2020, she was moved closer to home to have her surgery at the then-Netcare Union Hospital.

“I met the ambulance outside the hospital and spoke to her briefly from the door. She asked me to take her laundry and told me her jewellery was in her gown pocket and that I must lock it in the safe.”

Her mother had the surgery at the Alberton Union Hospital on July 7, but never recovered.

“Sadly, Mom had complications post-surgery, and her state deteriorated overnight. She passed on the afternoon of July 8, 2020,” Figueira said.

The family was devastated by the loss of the woman who had been the centre of their lives.

“It’s been hard dealing with her loss, as my mom was the matriarch of our household. My best friend and my shadow,” Figueira explained.

“My dad is now almost 85 and misses his soul mate. He often asks if we have received the autopsy results. Sadly, it’s been five years and two months and we are none the wiser.”

Hopes for closure

The years that followed were filled with weekly calls to the Germiston Mortuary, yet still no report.

Figueira said, “We have been calling the Germiston Mortuary every week for the past five years on a Friday. The admin lady there is helpful and keeps following up with the doctor, but, apparently, the report is still with the doctor, and until it is released and signed off, there isn’t much she can do. We hold on to the hope of getting closure. What was the cause of her death? These are questions we all have.”

Her brother, Claudio de Abreu, has also been following up relentlessly.

“I’ve been dealing with a lady at the mortuary who’s been checking week on week. The last I heard was a month ago. They said they were going to declare it autopsy-based. But until now, I’ve received nothing again. So I still don’t know if it’s resolved. If it’s not resolved, it’s actually a disgrace,” he said.

The family explained that the mortuary never gave them a timeline.

“They keep saying that you must try next week, try next week, try next week,” said De Abreu.
Even though complaints were lodged with the head of the mortuary, Mr Governor, the family says nothing has come of it.

Their main concern is closure.

“We want to know what the cause of death was. Yes, we know she went for heart surgery. But the complications that arose after that, nobody could explain.

“The doctor couldn’t explain it. The anaesthetist couldn’t explain it. So hence why we asked for an autopsy. Not knowing that we should have rather done it privately, then go through the government mortuary,” De Abreu explained.

Missing samples

The family says a private autopsy is no longer an option.

“You can’t because the body’s been cremated already,” he said.

“We weren’t going to leave her to sit in a fridge until now. We put her to rest like any other family would. But we haven’t had any closure on what we put to rest.”

What troubles them most is that toxicology samples that might have explained the sudden complications have gone missing.

“For all I know, it could have been the doctor who did something wrong. But now, the fact that five years down the line, the sample cannot be found, you know, then what’s the use of going through this whole procedure?” said De Abreu.

Figueira says the family feels abandoned.

“We were told the report was with Dr Apati and would be released that week. We are now in September 2025, and nothing has been communicated.”

For the De Abreus, the delays represent more than bureaucracy. They represent a lack of respect.

“Dead people still need dignity and respect. It does not mean that because they are dead, they don’t need dignity or respect. They still need that,” De Abreus said.

The Alberton Record has contacted the Germiston Mortuary for a comment. Once received, an update will be provided.

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