BUTTERWORTH – The Eastern Cape Department of Health has responded to allegations made by Busisiwe Mvimbani who claims she was denied the opportunity to identify her daughter’s body, at the Butterworth forensic pathology services in Gcuwa on 13th January 2025.
According to the department, Ms. Mvimbani has been searching for her missing daughter since 2022 and has viewed an unidentified bodies on multiple occasions. However, none of the bodies matched her daughter’s description.
Eastern Cape Department of Health Head of Department(HoD) Dr. Rolene Wagner said, “We sympathize with Ms. Mvimbani and understand the distress and grief she is experiencing. We want to assure her and the public that we are doing everything in our power to assist her in finding closure.”
Dr. Wagner explained that the department has followed protocol in handling the situation, “We have allowed Ms. Mvimbani to view the bodies and we have also taken DNA samples for testing against two bodies from Willowvale. We are working closely with the South African Police Service(SAPS) to ensure that the investigation is thorough and that justice is served.”
Furthermore, when asked about the alleged poor interaction between Ms. Mvimbani and a Butterworth forensic pathology officer, Dr. Wagner stated, “We take these allegations seriously and have launched an internal investigation to ascertain the facts. We apologize for any distress or inconvenience caused and are committed to providing a dignified and respectful service to all families.”
In addition the department has offered Ms. Mvimbani counseling services to cope with her distress and grief, the case remains open and is being managed by the SAPS.
photograph: Busisiwe Mvimbani crying in a video for her daughter’s body
photograph: supplied
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