KwaZulu-Natal MEC for health Sibongiseni Dhlomo yesterday visited Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi after a decomposing body of a woman was found in the toilet on Monday morning.

After inspecting the scene where the body was found, Dhlomo said: "It is not clear what really happened, but it is clear that there are areas we need to strengthen such as patrolling the premises of hospitals. The district manager and the acting Chief Executive Officer would work with the police to identify the body."

Police are probing a murder case.

The body was found in the hospital's toilet and had been lying there for three days, covered in a blanket.

Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge said police were still investigating. "We presume that she was murdered because blood stains were found on the scene. At this stage, we cannot say what really happened."

The discovery of the body comes two months after Dhlomo led a high- level delegation in a meeting with senior officials from the Democratic Nurses Organisation of South Africa and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union on "glaring problems" that had been reported.

Patients had complained of shoddy service and of being turned away by hospital's staff.

People who may identify the body are asked to visit the health department's Gale Street mortuary.