DELTA STEPS IN! Bus company, family team up to bring robbery victim home

Amos Mpofu

THE family of Judge Malamba Ncube, one of the passengers shot dead during last week’s Delta Bus armed robbery in South Africa, is working hand in hand with the bus company to repatriate his body for burial in Tsholotsho.
The horrific incident happened last Wednesday when armed robbers ambushed a Bulawayo-bound Delta Bus near the fourth tollgate outside Johannesburg, shooting two passengers and leaving several others injured and traumatised.

Since the tragedy, the Ncube family has been liaising with Delta Bus to retrieve Judge’s body, which has been kept at a mortuary in Mabokeng, Limpopo Province, pending repatriation arrangements.
Speaking to B-Metro, Judge’s elder brother, Handsome Ncube, said the family was grateful for the company’s assistance.

“We are working together with the Delta Buses team on the process of bringing the body from Limpopo Province — from Mabokeng, where this whole tragedy occurred. The body is now being moved to Johannesburg,” he said.
He said further discussions with Delta were expected once the body reached Johannesburg.

“There are promises of further discussions between us and the company once that is completed. After those talks, we will know to what extent they will continue to assist us, probably later this afternoon or evening,” said Ncube.
The grieving brother said the family’s main priority was to ensure a dignified burial for Judge.

“We just want to give my young brother a decent send-off. This has been a painful and unexpected loss for the whole family,” he said quietly.
Meanwhile, South African authorities are still working to identify the second victim, a woman who was travelling with her two children, one of whom lives with a disability.

The Delta Bus robbery has sent shockwaves through both sides of the Limpopo, with passengers calling for tighter security measures on cross-border routes.