The Gauteng Health Department says it will launch an investigation to establish why bodies of the deceased from a Johannesburg hospital were transported in an open trailer.

A private undertaker’s vehicle with trailer was carrying 42 bodies from the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital to Olifantsvlei cemetery for pauper’s burials.

It lost one of its wheels at 9.45am on Wednesday‚ on the M1 south highway.

While regretting the incident‚ the health department said: “We are pleased to inform the public that no injuries were reported and the bodies are still intact“.

Of the 42 bodies‚ 16 were adults‚ the department said.

Twenty four were still births.

It did not provide information on the other bodies.

“The department will launch an investigation to establish why the bodies were transported in an open trailer.”

Metro Police are on the scene.

The Gauteng Forensic Pathology Services is organising transport to take the bodies to the cemetery for burials.