South Africa’s Police Service, Saps, is said to be refusing to release Zanele Moyo, daughter of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo’s heart after they removed it following her death last month.
This comes as the SAPS dodged a formal standard autopsy request made to the Head Office Complaints Unit. Not even an acknowledgement of the family’s letter, or a response to their complaint has been received since being lodged on the 2nd November.
The family has since refuted South African media claims that the shocking removal of her heart during autopsy was done with their blessing.
The reports and their subsequent rebuffing raise further suspicion on the circumstances surrounding Zanele’s tragic death. Her grieving family continues to seek answers, with latest information indicating that South African authorities are yet to satisfactorily explain their stance.
On Friday, South Africa’s Cape Times newspaper published an article that quoted SA Police Service spokesperson Mr Musa Zondi saying removing Zanele’s heart was “in order” as the Moyo family had agreed to this.
However, on behalf of the family, Prof Moyo’s lawyer Mr Terrence Hussein yesterday dismissed the report as false.
Mr Hussein said: “We have been instructed by the family of the late Zanele to respond to reports that the removal of Zanele Moyo’s heart was in order and that the South African Police Service have advised the family on the correct route to follow, as regards the investigation.
“If the report on the above aspects carried in the Cape Times newspaper accurately reflects the views of the Western Cape Health Department and the South African Police Service spokesman, Mr Musa Zondi, the said comments are inaccurate and with respect, cannot go unchallenged.”
Mr Hussein said the Moyo family only learnt of the heart removal from the media.
“As regards the removal of Zanele’s heart, the grieving family only became aware of this unlawful, barbaric and insensitive act after a second postmortem was conducted by highly qualified personnel in Harare, Zimbabwe. The family had an opportunity to speak to the forensic pathologist on the day the postmortem was carried out and were informed that tissue and blood samples had been obtained from the deceased.
“No mention of the removal of the heart was made by the pathologist, nor was the family’s consent sought.
“A written complaint was sent to the Western Cape Health Department about this and other tardy aspects to the first postmortem and written confirmation of our complaints was received.”
He also said: “The Forensic Department did not make the revelation to us or the family that they indeed had removed the heart and that was legally in order. The painful fact has only been revealed by the Forensic Department to the Press.
“The Western Cape Health Department has not, either in writing or through its communication to the Press, indicated for what purpose they have retained the heart.
“Had it not been for the second postmortem requested by the family due to the inconclusive and tardy initial autopsy conducted in Cape Town, this illegality would never have come to light and those behind it would have gotten away with it and perpetrated this act in future cases.
“We do not find support in the law for the suggestion that the surreptitious removal of body parts without reference to the family is standard practice.”
Mr Hussein stressed that Saps is yet to update the Moyo family on the investigations of her death.
“At no time since the date of the autopsy has the South African Police Service contacted either ourselves or the family to update them on the investigation.
‘‘At no time has the South African Police Service advised, as indicated in the statement, the procedure the family should adopt in dealing with the issue.
“Having been met with frustrating silence from the South African Police Service on the status of the investigation, we were instructed on 2 November 2015 to file a formal standard autopsy to the Saps Head Office Complaints Unit. We have not had the standard courtesy of an acknowledgement of our letter, nor a response to our complaint.”
He added: “This is the legal route that one would adopt to complain about the quality of service of the South African Police Service. It is, therefore, incorrect to allege that the family has resorted to the Press and not to the Saps for relief.
“It must ironically be pointed out, however, that the family has learnt about the Saps stance through a Press report.”
20-year-old Zanele was a second year student majoring in Political Science, International Relations and Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town. She was found dead in her flat in Cape Town last month.
Pictures taken soon after her death showed the floor of her apartment smeared with what appeared to be a significant amount of blood. The blood appeared to start from the doorway of the bathroom leading to a toilet cubicle.
8 Replies to “Zanele’s Heart: South Africa Refuses to Release It”
Comments are closed.
you have a nerve. so on one hand i must not dismiss medically inaccurate information from this format while you on the other hand can declare she is in hell. you mr/miss/mrs are ridiculous to put it mildly.
BROOKS – Who told you that she is in hell now? Read your bible well hama yangu and be immune to the devil’s deception.
Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Serious don’t rush into blasting someone’s comment. Yes she was found two days after death, but was she found still with her heart or not? Chokwadi had come up with a very good observation which you don’t need to dismiss just like that. The missing heart was even discovered by Zimbabwean experts not South Africans.
However this ZANELE thing is now dead and whether the heart will be taken back or not she will not rise again. She is in hell right now waiting for her father Jonso to meet her.
The late zanily was found around 2days after death – a heart taken after she has been dead for that long is not suitable for transplant. did you go to school? you will believe anything won’t you. now run along to some fake profit and pay a seed to safe guard your own heart.
We are living in a world that has really gone upside down. It may not be really surprising that Zanele’s heart is meant for some patient that has been on the waiting list for the organ somewhere in a South African hospital. After all, she was a ‘kwerekwere’ whose life was inconsequential in a country that is so xenophobic and where one can buy freedom in exchange for a few rands. I have often heard people saying kugara mujeri kuda in South Africa nekuti mare yako opens all prison doors. it is therefore not surprising that no one is coming clean on this matter. Zvino kana zvichiitika kuvanhu vakuru saana Zanele, ko isu vana Mbudzi yatungwa tinosara tovigwa mitezo yese yapera. Sad indeed.
Chauya masikati charambe kurima. Chauya usiku charambe hope (dzekurara).
According to the current National Health Act 61 of 2003 – Regulations and Notices – Government Notice R636, the definition of an autopsy in South Africa is: ““autopsy” means the post mortem dissection of a body so as to determine the cause of death and the nature of injuries and disease processes which may be present.” Only a designated forensic pathologist should conduct a medico legal autopsy. S/he may delegate performance of the procedure, but s/he remains accountable for the complete process. The forensic pathologist assigned to perform the autopsy on Zanele should be the first point of investigating the disappearance of the heart.
However, even where laws, rules and regulations are clearly documented, such a lack of accountability happens, particularly when a political powerhouse is involved. It is not only in South Africa where such things happen. Many Zimbabwean families have endured the pain of not necessarily blurring a loved one with a missing body part, but whole bodies of loved ones have disappeared without trace. In a majority of cases, the family attempts to work with the police and legal systems, without success. Quite often, the “file containing information about the deceased person” is “NOT” found. It hurts. It does.
It is my hope that the Moyo family finds solace in whatever path they take toward whatever form of closure they might experience.
If the SA health department’s states its been authorized by the Moyos , then they need to produce where Moyo signed for authorization , or another area to look at , whether Zanele signed up to be organ donor. This happens abroad a lot where an individual can sign up as an organ donor , so the minute one dies organs are removed right away , to keep them alive for donation. Otherwise maybe someone is in the business of selling dead people’s heart illegally and this might not be an isolated incident, probably most Zimbos who die in SA’s hearts have been removed.
I bealive this heart had gone to organ donors…please check this problem throughly…