Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
RELATIVES of six children who died along with 30 other Zimbabweans in a horrific bus accident in Makhado, South Africa last month are now able to arrange funerals following the completion of DNA tests to identify them.
A sombre mood filled the air in Beitbridge last evening as a convoy of six hearses rolled through the Beitbridge Border Post carrying the bodies of the six.
They were escorted by Zimbabwe’s Consul-General to South Africa Mr Eria Phiri and embassy staff and were received by the local civil protection committee members and the Beitbridge community led by the district development coordinator Mrs Sikhangezile Mafu.
A memorial service was held at the local Doves Funeral Services parlour, where the families also received food hampers from the Government to support the burial services.
The bodies were finally brought home exactly 39 days following their death on board the DNC bus that was travelling from Port Elizabeth to Zimbabwe carrying Malawians and Zimbabweans.
Forty-four people including 36 Zimbabweans and eight Malawians died when the driver lost control of the bus which then plunged into the cliff some 100km away from Beitbridge Border post on October 12, just outside Makhado town in Limpopo province.
The Consul-General said the repatriation follows the completion of DNA tests that were needed to positively identify the children.
Thirty adult victims of the same crash were repatriated a fortnight ago after positive identification and other procedures were complete.
“Working with the host Government and its agencies and with the Zimbabwean Government taking care of the related expenses, we have successfully completed the repatriation of the six children who were positively identified through DNA and this was further confirmed through physical identification by their families that took place on Monday at Siloam Hospital,” said Mr Phiri.
Four Zimbabweans injured in the crash remain hospitalised in Limpopo, but are recovering well.
