Death toll rises from Makhado bus crash
Relatives gather to identify the bodies of the dead
Relatives gathered to identify the bodies of the dead. Photos: Bernard Chiguvare
- Another person has died after a bus veered off the road in Limpopo on 12 October.
- Addressing families of the dead on Monday, Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said the death toll was now 44.
- The families were gathered at Siloam Hospital to identify the bodies of their relatives.
The death toll from the bus crash on the N1 outside Louis Trichardt on 12 October has risen to 44.
Forty-three people died when the bus, carrying 91 passengers from Gqeberha to Harare, veered off the road.
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said another person had died on Monday. “A minor who was receiving treatment in Polokwane succumbed today,” said Ramathuba, addressing more than 200 relatives of the deceased who had gathered at Siloam Hospital to identify the bodies.
Ramathuba encouraged all relatives to visit the Makhado police station, where items recovered from the accident scene are being kept.
But some of the relatives said they had battled to claim their family member’s possessions from Makhado police station. Pauline Muhlolo, who travelled from Port Elizabeth to Louis Trichardt, said she managed to recover her sister’s mobile phone and passport but could not find the money her sister had been carrying.
“My sister works in Cape Town, but she had visited me for two weeks. She had stashed R10,000 and her passport in her small bag. The money was intended for completing the construction of her house in Zimbabwe. I managed to find some belongings, including the passport, but could not get the money,” said Muhlolo.
“The Makhado police officials requested that I bring proof that my relative had the stated amount. I witnessed several relatives approaching Makhado police station regarding money, but they were all requested to bring proof,” said Muhlolo.
Nomore Dumbu, whose 27-year-old relative also died in the accident, told GroundUp that he could not find his relative’s passport.
Janet Kapata, who represented the Malawian families, told GroundUp that some Malawian relatives had also complained about not finding the belongings of the deceased.
“Anyone claiming money should bring proof that the money belonged to her or his relative,” said Sergeant Tshifhiwa Radzilani of Makhado police station. “One should bring a bank statement as proof of where the money was coming from.”
Unclaimed belongings are to be forfeited to the state after 60 days.
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba addressed the relatives of the dead.
Relatives looked tired and worried as the identification process took a long time.
Ramathuba said post-mortems had been completed and police were taking fingerprints. DNA testing would be applied to children.
“We want to make sure that relatives do not collect the wrong body, so the process can take a bit longer,” said Ramathuba. She said the repatriation process would begin once all the procedures had been completed.
Acting Zimbabwean ambassador, Shepherd Gwenzi, and Malawian Ambassador, Stella Hauya Ndau, assured the families that their governments would provide support until the burials are completed.
“The government will cover the repatriation costs and pay the hospital bills of the injured who are in different hospitals across Limpopo. We will continue assisting the relatives of the deceased with transport and accommodation until the ongoing processes are concluded,” said Gwenzi.
He said he expects the procedures to be completed by the end of this week.
According to a preliminary report from the Road Traffic Management Corporation, the bus was not roadworthy, and the driver was speeding. Ramathuba told the media after the meeting with relatives of the dead that the Corporation was still working to determine the exact cause of the accident.
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