THE process of identifying the bodies of the 45 people who were killed in a bus crash started on Tuesday, 2 April.
Pathologists started conducting DNA tests on the bodies at the Mokopane Hospital in Limpopo while waiting for some family members to come and assist with the identification.
The bus crash took place at the Mamatlakala Bridge outside Mokopane, Limpopo, on Thursday, 28 March. The passengers were on their way to the St Engenas ZCC pilgrimage in Moria from Gaborone, Botswana.
The DNA tests will take place while Botswana authorities are still engaging their South African counterparts on the repatriation of the bodies.
Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba said so far, six bodies have been identified as early as Friday, 29 March while 39 remained.
She said radiology studies have already been conducted on the bodies.
“This is where we were able to find in one body bag, hip joints from two bodies clubbed together due to the impact of the crash and the fire,” she said.
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MEC Ramathuba said they were also busy with logistics.
“This is going to be a very tough week for us because we have other people who died in different areas over the weekend and require post-mortems. We are busy doing analysis as to which district is not busy so that we can take some staff to report to the Mokopane Hospital on Tuesday to start with post-mortems processes,” she said.
She said all the remains would be subjected to DNA tests and that particular processes have already been initiated with their Botswana counterparts who are in constant communication with their team.
Social development spokesman Joshua Kwapa said they understood what needed to be done immediately after the crash.
“We immediately put together a team of highly experienced social workers because of the severity of the accident. We are on standby to provide psychosocial support, particularly to the families,” he said.
Kwapa said they have based some of the family members at the Evelyn Lekganyane Clinic next to the St Engenas ZCC at Ga-Mamabolo outside Polokwane.
“We hope the family members will get some relief from the counselling we're going to provide to them,” he said.
