VICKY ACKERMANN writes:
As I scroll through Facebook each day I see families looking for missing people.
Yes, in some cases it is a run-away child or adult, while other cases just seem like a mystery.
Once again tonight I read through an update regarding missing Karl Reischer. This is an elderly gentleman who just vanished. Although he lives in a different province, both his vehicles went through toll gantries in Johannesburg.
This gentleman is elderly and has been missing for I think two months now.
Also read:
• 2 366 unclaimed and unidentified bodies in Gauteng mortuaries
My thought is, if he was taken out of his home, what are his chances of survival (not to be negative)?
This family is broken but they are not prepared or ready to think about the fact that he may be deceased and also if he is, which mortuary do they go to?
I also saw municipalities complaining about the number of unclaimed unidentified bodies.
If you are someone staying in KZN, for instance, and a relative goes missing between KZN and Johannesburg, where do you even start looking?
Could the municipality not take some work off themselves and start a website. On this site they can have a face shot, where possible, of each of these unclaimed bodies. Each mortuary can upload its own and keep it updated. This may help both parties.
Families who do not want to take the step of going to mortuaries can go onto the website in the privacy of their own home without having to deal with the outside world directly until they are sure.
I just think there may be a method to my madness. Yes, it will take some work to set up and get started but it will be worth it in the end.
Any thoughts?
