Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya in ELIM, South Africa
THE physical identification of bodies of the 43 people, including Zimbabweans and Malawians, who died in a bus accident last Sunday in Makhado town, is set to begin on Monday upon completion of post mortems by South African forensic experts.
Among the deceased are 36 adults and seven minors.
By day end yesterday, only three bodies were yet to be identified by their next of kin, with officials from Zimbabwe still verifying the number of those still admitted in medical facilities.
The post-mortems are being done at Tshilidzini hospital before all bodies are moved to a mortuary at Siloam Hospital Mortuary, where they will be collected by Doves for repatriation to Zimbabwe for burial.
The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) is sponsoring the transport, accommodation and general upkeep for the relatives who are helping with the identification process.
In addition, the DNC Bus Company is providing transport in South Africa for relatives who want to travel to Makhado and those discharged from hospital heading to Zimbabwe.
The identification exercise is being carried out by Zimbabwean and Malawian officials working closely with South African authorities and bereaved families.
A senior official at the Zimbabwe Consulate in Johannesburg, Mr Chengetai Murahwa, said by the end of day yesterday, they had identified 32 Zimbabweans among the deceased.
Eight others had been identified by Malawians.
The identity of the seven minors was being done through DNA tests.
“A total of 34 post-mortems have been carried out as of midday on Friday (yesterday) and we expect the remainder to be completed by the weekend,” he said.
“So, we expect the relatives to start the physical identification at the mortuary on Monday. The Government has made arrangements to transport and accommodate all the relatives who will be coming to help with that process.”
Government is also paying medical bills for those that are hospitalised.
Mr Murahwa said well-wishers have also donated food hampers to those admitted at Elim Hospital in Limpopo province.
The consulate staff are still consolidating the actual number of those still hospitalised and those discharged out of the 40 people that had been sent to various medical facilities.
Mr Murahwa said the initial identification process involved the use of photography and fingerprint verifications.
“In addition, through the Civil Protection Unit, the Government has created two command centres in Makhado and Beitbridge to co-ordinate logistics and we are happy with the support we are getting from various stakeholders so far.”
DNC coaches operating supervisor, Mr Oliver Govha, said they are offering complementary support to the Government and compassionate support to the bereaved.
The company will also be visiting all grieving families before and after burial to offer any necessary support, said Mr Govha.
In addition, DNC is assisting the Malawians with transport straight home for those discharged from hospital.
“In addition to what our Government is doing, guided by them, we are helping with the necessary consumables for those hospitalised and those family members travelling from within South Africa to Limpopo province to complete the identification and repatriation processes,” said Mr Govha.
Mr Collen Msibi, South Africa’s spokesperson for Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy, said they had received a preliminary report following an investigation by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
The report will guide further action.
What is the difference between physical identification that is going to start on Monday and identification by next of kin that has already been done? Or the reporter wants to say “collection of bodies”? Let’s report accurately here for the purpose of getting correct information to those who are putting logistics of repatriation and internment of the deceased together.