More than 100 mortuary fridges not working - Limpopo, Gauteng worst

As many as 143 mortuary fridges in about 80 districts throughout South Africa are not operating properly, the health ministry has revealed.

In a reply to a question posed by the EFF in parliament, the health ministry painted a bleak picture of the state of dysfunctional mortuary fridges, with some having not worked properly for 10 years.

Gauteng had the most districts affected (nine) where 13 fridges were dysfunctional. Odi Hospital in Tshwane was worst affected with three fridges having not worked in 18 years. But the hardest hit province was Limpopo, with 75 mortuary fridges broken.

In Mpumalanga, Middelburg in the Nkangala district had six mortuary fridges that had not worked in over two years, while 12 had not worked for a year.

The least affected provinces were the Northern Cape and North West with only two affected mortuary fridges.