Repatriation of remains of Limpopo bus crash victims to start on Friday
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has thanked South Africa for its assistance in the aftermath of the bus crash in Limpopo over the Easter weekend.
The crash claimed the lives of 45 Botswana citizens.
Masisi and President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the accident scene on R518 Mmamatlakala road in Mokopane on Thursday.
The 45 worshippers from Botswana died while on their way to St Engenas Zion Cristian Church (ZCC) for an Easter pilgrimage to Moria outside Polokwane when their bus plunged off the bridge and caught fire.
An eight-year-old girl was the only person to survive the crash.
"I have come with senior officials, really not only to come and see and be witness to the site where our citizens ended on that fateful day, so we can go back and tell Batswana we know where the children ended.
"But I want to give thanks mainly to the government of South Africa led by President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa and everybody who works in his government…the various diverse responders who demonstrated to the world what true compassion can be, excellent service,” President Masisi said.
Repatriation processes of the remains of the victims are expected to start on Friday, with families of six victims, who were positively identified, travelling to South Africa to receive their remains.
"The firebomb that followed the accident down there was so severe that many bodies were charred, and the forensic process is quite involved, but it is ongoing,” said Ramaphosa.
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