By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The families, who lost their loved ones in the tragic bus crash that claimed 45 lives in Limpopo over the Easter weekend, have arrived to receive their remains at the Mokopane Hospital from Botswana.
They have gathered to meet with officials from the department of Health and Home Affairs respectively to begin the process of repatriating their loved ones’ remains.
Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba says that this marks the first phase of the repatriation process. “Today the process that is going to unfold firstly I must indicate it is going to be a very difficult day for not only the families but even for us because we must first subject them to viewing the body so that when they view as family members it is the positive identification legal process that then involves a family member who will be identifying themselves and you know you bring in your ID document or passports in this case.”
The 45 worshippers from Botswana died while on their way to St Engenas Zion Cristian Church (ZCC) for an Easter pilgrimage to Moria outside Polokwane when their bus plunged off the bridge and caught fire.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi and President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the accident scene on R518 Mmamatlakala road in Mokopane on Thursday.
The two heads of state conducted an oversight inspection at the Mamatlakala Bridge along the R518 road outside Mokopane, Limpopo.
This is where the driver lost control of the bus that plunged off the bridge and caught fire.
An eight-year-old girl was the only person to survive the crash.
“I have come with senior officials, really not only to come and see and be witness to the site where our citizens ended on that fateful day, so we can go back and tell Batswana we know where the children ended.
“But I want to give thanks mainly to the government of South Africa led by President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa and everybody who works in his government…the various diverse responders who demonstrated to the world what true compassion can be, excellent service,” Masisi said.
The remaining victims will undergo thorough DNA and other tests to facilitate their conclusive identification.
“The firebomb that followed the accident down there was so severe that many bodies were charred, and the forensic process is quite involved, but it is ongoing,” said Ramaphosa.
“I’m grateful that we live in a liberated South Africa where the good relation becomes the oil that enables us to work well.”
Ramaphosa conveyed condolences on behalf of the South African government to the Republic of Botswana during this difficult times.