Families of the six Botswana nationals who died in a tragic bus accident at the Mamatlakala bridge in Limpopo at the Easter weekend have fetched their loved ones’ bodies.
This after a thorough forensic examination of the bodies that were found at the accident scene.
45 congregants perished
The bus carried 45 ZCC congregants who were going to the 100th year anniversary of the church that was held at St Angenas.
According to Limpopo health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba, the six bodies are the first to be positively identified and the process of identifying others is underway.
Ramathuba was comforting the families on Friday at Mokopane Hospital.
“I wish I was welcoming you to the country for a different reason. Not because I have to handover the bodies of your loved ones,” said Ramathuba.
Church members who were on their way to prayers
She went on to say she related to the journey that the victims of the accident were embarking on. Because she is also a church member who wears church uniform (mme wa seaparo).
“I could relate because I know where they were going to. What it is that they wanted and it made sense because they were going to pray for all of us.
“It is unfortunate that they couldn’t reach where they were going. What we can only do is to make sure that the pain you’re feeling as families, is eased by us.”
Ramathuba said the pain that the families feel is deeper than what the naked eye can see.
“We cannot inject this pain away because this is a psychological and mental pain that can only be healed by time. Even though the victims were not our relatives, we all feel this pain,” she added.
Sole survivor
Meanwhile, the sole survivor of crash, eight-year-old Atlang Siako has been reunited with her family. On Wednesday last week, Ramathuba accompanied the minor together with her mother to the airport as they were leaving South Africa.
