Authorities continue the grim task of identifying the victims of a horrific bus crash that claimed the lives of 43 people this past Sunday, with DNA tests set to identify seven children among the victims. The vehicle, operated by DNC and travelling from Port Elizabeth to Harare, was carrying 68 passengers, including 14 children, when it tragically veered off the N1 highway near Louis Trichardt and plunged down a ravine. In the wake of the catastrophe, a complex and heart-wrenching identification process is now underway, involving officials from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and South Africa.
The scale of the tragedy has necessitated extreme measures, with seven of the youngest victims requiring advanced scientific identification. Veronica Bare, the Deputy Director for Response and Coordination in Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit (CPU), confirmed the difficult path ahead for the families.
She stated,
“With respect to the seven minors, these will be identified through the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the process is already underway.”
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This painstaking method underscores the devastating impact of the crash on the most vulnerable passengers.
South Africa Bus Crash DNA Tests To Identify Seven Children
In a coordinated response to support grieving families, the Zimbabwean government has dispatched relatives to South Africa to assist with the identification of the remaining eight adult victims. A total of six families are making the difficult journey on government-provided transport. Elaborating on the logistics, Bare said,
“We have arranged a bus which has left with six family members to assist with the identification of the remaining eight bodies in South Africa.”
The physical identification process is scheduled to commence on Monday, following the completion of all post-mortem examinations.
The government has also moved to alleviate the financial burden on those affected by the disaster.
“We have established two Command Centres at Beitbridge Border post and in Makhado to coordinate all logistics around the disaster,” Bare explained.
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She further confirmed that the state is covering all accommodation and upkeep expenses for the bereaved families during this painful period. In a significant undertaking, she added,
“Medical bills for all the affected Zimbabweans will be paid by the Government at all the three hospitals in Limpopo province.”
Doves Funeral Services has been officially engaged to repatriate the remains of the deceased back to their home countries once all official procedures are finalised, offering a final journey home for those lost.
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