The Department of Home Affairs has registered 10 532 deaths in the first 5 days of the new year. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says he fears the numbers could soar by the end of this month. In December 2018, the department registered more than 36 000 deaths. In December 2019, more than 38 000 and, in December last year, more than 55 000. He says if these trends continue, there’s going to be an even greater demand for death certificates than there is already.