Zimbabwe: Govt Declares DNC Coaches Accident a National Disaster, Calls On Families to Identify Victims for Repatriation

14 October 2025
New Zimbabwe (London)
By Thandiwe Garusa

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the fatal DNC Coaches bus accident, which claimed 43 lives along South Africa's N1 highway on Sunday, a national disaster, pledging government support for repatriation and funeral expenses.

In a statement Tuesday, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe issued an urgent appeal to relatives and friends of the victims to come forward and assist in identifying the deceased.

Garwe said the government has arranged transport to ferry next of kin from Harare's Makombe Building to Polokwane, where the bodies are currently being kept.

"The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, has since declared a State of Disaster and directed the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works through the Department of Civil Protection to provide state-assisted burials as well as payment of medical bills for the injured following the DNC Coach road accident in Makhado, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

"Meanwhile, next of kin are in the process of identifying the bodies of their loved ones to facilitate repatriation.

"In this regard, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and other Government entities, are calling upon relatives of the deceased to come forward and assist in the identification process," said Garwe.

He added that buses will depart from the National Disaster Management Centre at Makombe Building in Harare on 15 October 2025 at 12:00 p.m. to transport the next of kin to South Africa.

"The repatriation process will commence after positive identification of the deceased. Government continues to rally behind the bereaved families during these trying times. In the same stride, we wish speedy recovery to the injured," Garwe said.

The tragic crash occurred around 6 p.m. on Sunday along the N1 North near Ingwe Lodge after the bus veered off the road and plunged down an embankment, killing 43 passengers and injuring several others.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2025 New Zimbabwe. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.