FORTY-FIVE victims of the tragic Mamatlakala Bridge bus accident have successfully been identified.
This was done by the police's forensic science laboratory and victim identification units.
The incident occurred on Thursday, 28 March, on the R518 outside Mokopane, Limpopo.
The victims from Gaborone in Botswana were en route to the annual Easter Pilgrimage at the St Engenas ZCC in Moria, Polokwane, when the bus driver lost control and the vehicle plunged into the bridge, resulting in 45 fatalities.
Remarkably, an eight-year-old girl emerged as the sole survivor.
The dedicated teams co-ordinated the recovery and identification efforts. They used DNA processes to positively identify the remains.
Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba confirmed that the bus carried 46 passengers, with one survivor.
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Ramathuba praised the teams for their diligent work in recovering and identifying all the remains.
"This challenging but critical task has been successfully completed," she said.
The deceased's remains have been prepared for repatriation.
A meeting with a Botswana delegation is scheduled for Thursday, 25 April, to finalise death registrations with Home Affairs.
The repatriation plans will be outlined on Friday, 26 April.
Ramathuba thanked all government officials from various departments for their dedication, compassion, professionalism and excellence.
"This collaboration demonstrates that by working together, we can achieve more for our people," she said.
