Caught in a web of legal and administrative challenges, Eastbury resident Reshmee Ramlachman is determined to give her brother, Sajesh Ramlachman the proper funeral and burial he deserves. Her struggle began after the 50-year-old was admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital where he passed away without identification.
Without the means to contact a next of kin, Sajesh was kept at the Phoenix Mortuary and was buried in a state-funded funeral. Now, upon discovering what happened, Ramlachman is fighting an uphill battle to have his body exhumed and finally lay him to rest with dignity.
Ramlachman told the Phoenix Tabloid that the family had not seen her brother for some time. They later discovered that he had fallen ill and was admitted to the hospital on 30 October last year. Tragically, he passed away on 12 November.
She said, “We had no idea where he was. Sajesh only used to visit once a month or so, and he didn’t have a phone, so we had no way to contact him. That just how my brother was, and as family, we understood and accepted it. However, we started to find it strange that he had not visited since September. Months later, we were devastated to learn that he had been in the hospital and had passed away. When I found out, I went to the hospital and spoke to the nurses. I was shown information about my brother however in his details there had been a lot of incorrect information. His name, date of birth, and address was all incorrect.”
According to Ramlachman, due to errors in hospital records, the family was never informed of his hospitalisation or death. “We are still uncertain whether the incorrect information was provided by my brother because he was ill or if the hospital recorded it incorrectly. Regardless, the hospital never contacted us. After keeping his body for about a month, they buried him in a pauper’s grave in Inanda. We were later told by the funeral services that some of the dates had been incorrect such as his date of death and burial date. According to the funeral service, his body was buried on 24 December. We are still trying to understand how so much information can be incorrect as this makes the situation much harder.”
She has since been trying to have his body exhumed to give him a proper funeral, but the process has been incredibly challenging.
“It has been so difficult to bring my brother’s body home and give him the farewell he deserves. We never got to say goodbye. Now, to make matters worse, his ID was stolen, making it even more complicated to prove his identity and claim his remains. We have tried every possible route to get his body exhumed, but navigating the legal complexities has been overwhelming for our family. The lack of proper identification has made everything so much harder,” she added.
Despite the obstacles, Ramlachman remains hopeful that she will eventually be able to reclaim her brother’s remains and lay him to rest with dignity among his loved ones.
Community activist Moulana Tariq shared valuable insight regarding the challenges faced by mortuaries when it comes to releasing bodies, particularly in cases where proper identification is not provided. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that identification documents are readily available, suggesting that individuals should always keep copies of their ID or important identification documents with trusted religious centres or close family members.
He said: “This precaution of keeping important documentation by trusted people would help ensure that there is a reliable method of recognition should such documentation be required, especially during difficult times.”
Moulana Tariq acknowledged the constraints faced by mortuaries, particularly the regulations set by Home Affairs, which can complicate the process of releasing a body.
“Mortuaries are legally bound to ensure that they are releasing the correct body, and that the only way to confirm the identity of the deceased in such cases is through official documentation. However, there is a need for caution, especially in light of increasing instances of fraud. The verification of identity documents has become a sensitive issue due to the potential for misuse. Despite the challenges, I would like to remind the community of the importance of adhering to the law. While navigating these obstacles can be difficult, understanding and following the legal requirements is crucial in ensuring proper and respectful handling of sensitive situations.”
He further added that it is of utmost importance that individuals to take proactive steps in safeguarding their identification documents to avoid complications during a time of loss.
