By Staff Reporter
MOOKGOPONG – The remains of a 32-year-old man who tragically died in a vehicle accident in 2018 and was buried as a pauper have finally been identified and reconnected with his family, bringing long-awaited closure.
The man, who perished in a crash on the N1 near Mookgopong, was initially unidentified, and a culpable homicide case was opened at Mokopane SAPS. With no identification at the time, the deceased was buried by the government in a pauper’s grave.
However, through meticulous work by the police involving fingerprint tracing and DNA analysis, his identity was eventually confirmed. His family, unaware of his fate, had been searching for him for years and recently approached Mahwelereng police after exhausting all other avenues.
Following this breakthrough, the family requested that the body be exhumed so that their loved one could be given a dignified burial.
The exhumation process began earlier this week but led to a shocking revelation: more than 40 unidentified bodies had been buried in a disorganized and clustered manner, violating standard burial protocols.
Police forensic teams, along with local investigators who had secured a court order to proceed with the exhumation, were present throughout the operation.
Despite the emotional and physical toll, the correct remains were ultimately located among the other unidentified paupers.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has called for a thorough investigation into the irregular burial practices.
The Department of Health and local municipality are now working closely with SAPS to address the issue.
No arrests have been made at this stage as investigations continue.
