THE Zimbabwean government has declared the recent bus crash in South Africa a national disaster after 11 Zimbabwean citizens lost their lives while returning home from Cape Town. Authorities are now working to identify the victims and facilitate the repatriation of their remains.
The fatal accident occurred last Thursday night along the N1 highway near Trompsburg in South Africa's Free State province. Initially, officials confirmed 10 fatalities, but the death toll later increased to 11 after a 47-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries at Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital.
According to Free State Department of Health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi, the woman had been receiving intensive care and was on life support before passing away.
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She was one of four passengers admitted in critical condition. The remaining critically injured survivors continue to receive specialised treatment at Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital and Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein.
In response to the tragedy, Zimbabwe's Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, announced that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had declared the incident a state of disaster under Section 27(1) of the Civil Protection Act.
Government officials said those who perished included one adult man, five adult women and five children.
Garwe explained that the disaster declaration would allow the government to swiftly mobilise resources, coordinate relief efforts, repatriate the deceased, support survivors and provide humanitarian assistance to grieving families.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's Consul General in Johannesburg, Eria Phiri, accompanied by Free State Health Department head Ernest Mohlahlo, visited the injured passengers as authorities continued the process of identifying those who died.
Mvambi said the Free State government mortuary is overseeing the identification process with the victims' families before arrangements are made to return the bodies to Zimbabwe.
Family members are expected to begin identifying their loved ones from Monday through August 7.
Most of the survivors, who sustained minor injuries, were discharged from Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein and Alfred Nzula Hospital in Trompsburg on Friday. They later continued their journey to Zimbabwe aboard another bus.
Mnangagwa has extended his condolences to the bereaved families and wished those injured a speedy recovery as the nation mourns the devastating loss.
