The Science 4 Justice (S4J) Public Square recently received a R227 420 seed funding grant from the Stellenbosch University (SU) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Division of Social Impact. This marks a significant step in advancing social justice and will support training initiatives and workshops to improve identification efforts of unknown deceased persons in the Western Cape. 

The Science 4 Justice (S4J) Public Square is a multidisciplinary and collaborative research group that brings together expertise from a wide range of fields, including the forensic sciences, anatomy, sociology, philosophy, and visual arts. The group takes a “forensic identification think tank” approach to identify innovative and effective solutions to improve processes in forensic human identification.

The group forms part of the Public Squares Initiative, a research development programme at SU that consists of “public squares” (research groups), each with its own thematic focus. The initiative aims to promote collaborative and engaged research, aligning strongly with SU’s strategic theme of Research for Impact. 

“This funding gives us the opportunity to strengthen forensic anthropology service delivery through targeted training and workshops,” said Dr Mandi Alblas, a member of the S4J group and Senior Lecturer in Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology at SU. “By bringing together key actors such as police officers, forensic pathology officers, and relevant practitioners, we can develop a shared understanding of each other’s systems leading to smoother processes”.

The effort to enhance capacity development and improve service delivery builds on a foundation established in 2022, when Dr. Alblas identified gaps in procedural alignment among actors involved in identification and post-mortem processes. In response, she and her colleagues facilitated a workshop focused on key aspects of human identification.

“We received Erasmus+ funding to conduct a two-day workshop that provided police officers and forensic pathology personnel with practical insight into identification practices, including crime scene photography, forensic anthropology processes, trauma on bones,  and forensic odontology,” Dr Alblas explained. “The goal of this training was to deepen participants’ understanding of human identification and clarify the role of each actor, ultimately streamlining the process for all involved”.

That workshop was well received, generating strong interest and ongoing demand for similar initiatives. However, financial constraints prevented its continuation at the time. The recent grant received now enables the revival and expansion of this important work, ensuring that the momentum gained can be sustained and further developed.

The work of identifying a deceased person restores dignity and provides families with a sense of closure. This underscores the need for improved, well-coordinated systems that are not only efficient but also firmly grounded in principles of social justice. According to Dr. Kathryn Smith, also a member of the S4J group and Associate Professor in SU’s Department of Visual Arts, it is estimated that South African mortuaries currently have a backlog of 6,000 to 10 000 unidentified deceased persons. Some of these cases are linked to unresolved criminal cases that include murder, assault and sexual violence. This presents a major obstacle in achieving justice for victims. 

The proposed training initiatives responds directly to this challenge. By equipping stakeholders with a clearer understanding of shared procedures and improved coordination practices, these efforts aim to reduce existing backlogs and help deliver long-overdue justice to victims and their families.

For the S4J team, transparency is at the heart of their work. “The aim is not only to highlight what is not working, but also to co-create processes that the broader public is invested in”, said Keegan Meiring, a member of the team and Lecturer at SU’s Division of Clinical Anatomy. Keegan added: “This significantly reduces barriers to implementation and fosters a relationship between practitioners and the public that is grounded in awareness and equitable knowledge exchange”. It is this level of transparency that the team seeks to achieve through its initiatives, as greater mutual understanding of each stakeholder’s processes ultimately improves effectiveness and fosters a deeper sense of empathy and compassion across the system.