Pretoria — Senior South African government officials are locked in a daylong meeting in Pretoria today, to find ways to assist the Mozambican government cope with the devastating impact of the recent train disaster that killed more than 200 and injured 167 civilians at the weekend.
Government has since pledged medical supplies to the Portuguese-speaking neighbours following a relief request by the Mozambican authorities to SA to aid the Maputo Central Hospital in the wake of the horrific train derailment at Moamba north of Maputo.
The hospital that faces blood shortage is treating most of the injured in what is said to be the worst rail accident.
Officials from the departments of provincial and local government and foreign affairs are facilitating consignments of gloves, surgical knives, surgical clothes, anesthetics, syringes, bandages and drugs to President Joaquin Chissano led country.
Among those throwing their weight behind the relief effort is the private health sector company Nedcare, an unnamed donor and the South African Airlink, which agreed to transport the goods free of cost.
This is the third catastrophe to hit Mozambique in recent years.
Two years ago, destructive floods struck the nation killing scores of civilians while injuring hundreds and displacing thousands in the worst downpour to hit the country in years.
At the time of the floods that gripped the world's attention, the southern African nation was just emerging from bloody prolonged civil wars that saw many Mozambicans falling victim to landmines planted across the country.
Severe drought and economic slump also had a destructive hand in depraving the country rich in natural gas, of decent humane living over the years.
Meanwhile transport minister Dullah Omar is expected to visit the country, with a population of more than 16 million, tomorrow.
The minister, who also had to deal with the recent local train crash in KwaZulu and torching of trains in Pretoria, joined President Thabo Mbeki in sending the country's condolences to the Mozambican victims' families immediately after the crash.
The Mozambican authorities have since launched an inquiry into the accident believed to have been caused by human error.
