Bodies of 15 Zimbabweans who died in bus accidents in South Africa identified: We’re repatriating them

The Zimbabwean Consulate in Johannesburg is working tirelessly to repatriate the bodies of 15 Zimbabweans who tragically lost their lives in two separate bus accidents in South Africa.

The accidents, which occurred in the Limpopo Province, have left families in Zimbabwe grieving and grappling with the loss of loved ones.

The first incident happened on Tuesday, when a Mzansi Express bus carrying passengers from Bulawayo overturned near Makhado town. Ten people perished in the accident, while 35 others sustained injuries.

The second accident, which occurred on Sunday, involved a Tamuka Coaches bus travelling from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe. The bus overturned 8 kilometres before the Mokopane tollgate, resulting in the deaths of five passengers, including the driver.

Consul-General Mr Eria Phiri, who visited the scene of the Mokopane accident and met with the injured at the hospital, confirmed that the Tamuka Coaches bus was carrying 58 passengers and four crew members. He said 10 of the injured passengers were admitted to Mokopane Hospital, while 24 were taken to Voortrekker Hospital. Most of the injured have since been discharged, with only two remaining in hospital.

The Consul-General also confirmed that four of the five bodies from the Mokopane accident have been positively identified by their relatives, while the body of one man remains unidentified. The repatriation process for the four identified bodies has begun.

Mr Phiri said that the repatriation of the bodies from the Makhado accident is expected to be completed by Friday.

Meanwhile, the body of Kudzai Ncube who was shot and killed by a commercial farmer who threw her remains in a pigtsy for his pigs to feast on her body, was repatriated on Monday evening for burial in Gokwe North in the Manoti area.

The tragedy has prompted calls for greater safety measures on South African roads. Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Violet Mathye, expressed her sadness over the accidents and urged bus companies to ensure their drivers are “fit for purpose”, suggesting that driver fatigue may have contributed to the latest accident.

“A cross-border bus, which was reportedly travelling from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe, overturned along the N1-north towards the Nyl Plaza, outside Mokopane. Five people – one female and four males, lost their lives as a result of the accident. The accident happened at around 17h30, on Sunday, 1st September 2024. Several other passengers sustained injuries of varying degrees, in the process, and were taken to hospitals in Mokopane,” said a statement by the acting spokesman for Transport and Community Safety, Phuti Lekganyane.

The repatriation of the bodies is a solemn and difficult process for the families of the deceased. The Zimbabwean Consulate is working closely with the families to ensure that the bodies are returned to Zimbabwe for burial as quickly and respectfully as possible.