Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The Civil Protection Unit working in coordination with the Zimbabwean, Malawi embassies with the support of South African authorities and relatives of the 43 people who died in a bus accident in Limpopo province had managed to identify 30 Zimbabweans and six Malawians among the deceased yesterday.
As efforts to identify the deceased continued yesterday, there was another accident involving a commercial truck opposite the bus crash scene. It is reported that the driver of a commercial truck carrying cement heading towards Musina along the N1 highway lost control and it drifted into a cliff.
According to South African journalist who is at the scene, Kaizer Nengovhela, paramedics were on the scene, ascertaining the nature of the damages.
The area near Ingwe lodge, which is mountainous, full of cliffs and sharp curves has become a death trap for many road users between Makhado and Musina town along the N1 road.
South Africans took to social media calling for a cleansing exercise at the “blackspot”.
The Deputy Director for Response and Coordination in the Department of Civil Protection, Veronica Bare said one bus had come from the National Disaster Management centre for South Africa with 12 family members related to some of the deceased.
She said although the identification process was ongoing, as of yesterday afternoon, 30 Zimbabweans and six Malawians had been positively identified by their relatives.
The official said the Government has also engaged Doves Funeral Services to ferry the mortal remains from South Africa to Zimbabwe once all the necessary processes had been completed.
‘‘We are on our way to South Africa with one bus carrying relatives of the deceased who will assist us with the identification processes and related issues. We are going to pick some in Masvingo and Beitbridge who are also waiting for us.
‘‘For now, the process of identification of the deceased is taking place. Doves Funeral Services is on standby to collect the bodies once post-mortems are completed. The bodies will be taken to their final destinations,’’ said Bare.
She said some of the relatives had already made their way to Makhado town in South Africa where the identification processes are being conducted with the support of various stakeholders in that country.
Ministry of Local Government spokesperson Gabriel Masvora the Government will extend State assistance until the deceased are laid to rest in the country.
“So far, about 15 people came through our Disaster Management Centre and they have left for South Africa. Because of the number, we mobilised one bus to ferry them. Some of the relatives are based in South Africa and they are also helping officials in identifying the bodies,” he said
“For those without travelling documents, we are liaising through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, other Government departments and South Africa to facilitate that they cross the border to be able to identify the bodies
“As has been indicated by police, investigations and identifications are still under way to determine how many people were from Zimbabwe and they have left for South Africa. Because of the number, we mobilised one bus to ferry them.”
The Limpopo Provincial Government spokesperson Ndavhe Ramakuela said the identification process involves the use of fingerprint verification systems and photographs to assist families.
“The Limpopo Provincial Government has provided an update on progress made on the N1 Louis Trichardt bus accident, especially the identification processes of the remains,” he said.
The bus, which was travelling from the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe with 91 passengers, veered off the Zoutpansberg Mountain on Sunday.
“Of the occupants, 43 lost their lives, 40 received medical attention in different medical facilities, while eight self-discharged,” said Ramakuela.
He added that as of Tuesday, 17 families had arrived at Tshilidzini Hospital to identify their loved ones, with the process continuing today.
“The victim identification team has taken photographs of all the deceased and the provincial government is encouraging families who are searching for their loved ones to visit the hospital as part of family identification.”
Meanwhile, some of the comments on social media following yesterday’s accident by a haulage truck suggests that there are some South Africans who believe the area is now cursed.
One tweeted:
“Cleanse that area the soul of those 42 people will finish us there.”
Another one said:
“Cleanse that spot. Otherwise, that is where everyone will die.”
A third one said:
“That area always has mysterious accidents, years back a taxi full of passengers disappeared down those gorges.”
A fourth one had a suggestion:
“Please someone go bless that place, sacrifice the chicken/goat whatever, clearly the ancestors are unhappy there…”
The fifth one said:
“Another problem their loved ones are not collecting spirits of the dead on that stretch of the road it exacerbate more accidents.”
Mathew Masinge