Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
HEARTBROKEN families spent Monday in tears as they identified the remains of 36 Zimbabweans who perished in the horrific Makhado bus crash in South Africa.
The emotional process, held at Siloam Hospital Mortuary, stretched the entire day as relatives braved the agony of confirming their loved ones among the badly damaged bodies. South African forensic experts and pathologists worked tirelessly through the weekend to restore the remains for viewing.
The tragedy, which struck along the N1 near Makhado last Sunday, claimed 30 adult Zimbabweans and six children who were travelling on a bus bound for Harare and Malawi. The crash also killed eight Malawian men, a woman, and a child, leaving 40 others injured.
As of Monday, 12 Zimbabweans and seven Malawians remained hospitalised in Limpopo Province.
Zimbabwe’s Charge d’Affaires in South Africa, Shepard Gwenzi, confirmed that repatriation arrangements were now underway.
“On 20 October, the physical identification of the deceased was successfully conducted at Siloam Hospital Mortuary with all bodies positively identified by next of kin. It is expected that the bodies will be handed over to Doves Funeral Services on 21 October for embalming in preparation for repatriation to Zimbabwe for burial,” said Gwenzi.
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba assured grieving families that the process was being handled with utmost care to avoid mix-ups.
“The identification was done through photography, physical verification, fingerprint matching, and DNA testing for the seven children,” she said.
The repatriation of the 36 bodies is expected to be completed this week, marking the start of a painful homecoming for families whose loved ones never made it back alive.
