The heartbreaking process of identifying victims from Sunday's deadly South African bus crash has revealed that 30 Zimbabweans and six Malawians are among the 43 people who perished when the bus plunged off the Zoutpansberg Mountain in Limpopo.
According to the Civil Protection Unit (CPU), the identification exercise is being carried out by Zimbabwean and Malawian officials working closely with South African authorities and bereaved families.
The Deputy Director for Response and Coordination in the CPU, Ms Veronica Bare, confirmed that one bus left Harare on Wednesday carrying 12 relatives of the deceased to assist with the ongoing identification in Makhado, Limpopo.
"We are on our way to South Africa with relatives of the deceased who will help us in the identification process. We will also pick up more family members in Masvingo and Beitbridge," said Ms Bare.
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She said Doves Funeral Services has been engaged to ferry the remains of the deceased back home once all post-mortem and documentation processes are complete.
"For now, the process of identification is ongoing. Doves Funeral Services is on standby to collect the bodies once post-mortems are completed. The bodies will be transported to their final destinations," she added.
Ms Bare said several relatives had already travelled to Makhado, where South African officials are using fingerprint verification systems and photographs to identify victims.
The Ministry of Local Government spokesperson, Mr Gabriel Masvora, said the Government will continue providing State assistance to affected families until all the deceased have been laid to rest.
"So far, about 15 people have come through our Disaster Management Centre and left for South Africa. We mobilised a bus to ferry them, while some relatives already in South Africa are assisting in the identification process," said Mr Masvora.
"For those without travel documents, we are liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and South African authorities to ensure they can cross the border and identify their loved ones."
The Limpopo Provincial Government spokesperson, Mr Ndavhe Ramakuela, confirmed that the identification process is still underway and is being handled with great care.
"The provincial government has provided an update on progress made in identifying the remains. Fingerprint verification and photographs are being used to assist families," said Mr Ramakuela.
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He said the bus, which was travelling from the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe with 91 passengers, veered off the mountain road near Louis Trichardt on Sunday, resulting in one of the deadliest road disasters in recent years.
"Of the occupants, 43 lost their lives, 40 received medical attention at various hospitals, while eight discharged themselves," said Mr Ramakuela.
He added that by Tuesday, 17 families had arrived at Tshilidzini Hospital to identify their loved ones, with the process expected to continue until all victims are named.
"The victim identification team has taken photographs of all the deceased, and families are encouraged to visit the hospital as part of the formal identification process," he said.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck again near the same stretch of road on Wednesday when a cement-laden truck veered off the road and plunged into a gorge, opposite the original crash scene.
Emergency workers remained at the site late into the evening as authorities investigated the second accident.
The Limpopo bus disaster has left communities in both Zimbabwe and Malawi in deep mourning, with social media flooded with condolence messages and emotional tributes.
Government officials have urged patience and unity as the painstaking identification process continues.
"We are doing everything possible to ensure our citizens are brought home with dignity," said Ms Bare.
The process is expected to take several more days before repatriation begins.
