Bus inferno: 28 victims identified

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
The National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has identified 28 out of 30 remains of people who died in a bus explosion at West Nicholson two weeks ago.

A South Africa-bound bus coming from Zvishavane caught fire following a suspected gas cylinder explosion.

A total of 33 people died in the inferno and 30 of them were burnt beyond recognition while 27 others suffered serious injuries.

Government engaged the National University of Science and Technology’s Applied Genetic Testing Centre (AGTC) lab to assist in the identification of the 30 victims.

Yesterday, Government pathologist, police, Civil Protection Unit members and AGTC officials converged at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary office to brief each other on the developments regarding the identification of the victims.

In an interview, Mangwe District Administrator, Ms Rorisang Makhurane who was representing Matabeleland South Provincial Administrator Ms Sithandiwe Ncube said Nust’s AGTC lab had identified 28 victims.

“You should come tomorrow that’s when you would be briefed more about this issue. What I can only say now is that we have managed to identify 28 victims from the 30 who were burnt beyond recognition.

I don’t have information on the other two bodies. We have since informed relatives of those whose remains have been identified and we expect them to come and collect the remains tomorrow,” said Ms Makhurane.

Earlier in the week at AGTC, Mr Zephaniah Dhlamini said they were waiting for the families of the two victims yet to be identifed to come forward. — @nqotshili