The voices of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church choir filled the corridors of the Polokwane International Airport in Polokwane, Limpopo as scores of people gathered for a service to repatriate the bodies of 45 Botswana nationals who were killed in a horrific bus accident while on their to Moria for the Easter pilgrimage last month.
As the convoy of hearses carrying the bodies drove into the airport precinct the choir sang a spirited hymn in honour of their fallen fellow worshippers: Mohlang ke tsamaya/ ke tla gogorela Sione legaeng laka [the day I leave this world, I will go to Zion, my home].
There were no tears among the gathered mourners who included church elders, government officials and civilians, however the mood was sombre and subdued. Political leaders who had worked to ensure that the repatriation of the bodies is completed expressed relief.
“It has been a long traumatising month for everyone of us, starting with the families that have lost their loved ones who have been panicking not knowing whether they will find closure or not. We can confirm to the people of this country and the people of Botswana and the world that within a month, we have been able to conclude the entire task of identification and the bodies are now ready for repatriation” said Limpopo MEC for health Dr Phophi Ramathuba.
The incident, involving the bus plunging off a bridge along the Mmamatlakala Pass, happened on 28 March 2024, three days before Easter. A total of 45 people from Botswana who were on an Easter pilgrimage, were killed in the crash, while an eight-year-old girl was the only survivor and has since returned home to Molepolole in Botswana.
After crashing through the bridge barrier, the bus slammed onto a cluster of rocks and into flames. Rescue workers at the scene spoke of bodies scattered around the scene among rocks and trees. Pieces of clothing hung on tree branches. Emergency and forensic workers worked through the scene for three days collecting bodies from the wreckage and piece of human tissue scattered around the scene.
It was initially estimated the process to identify the bodies through DNA would take long, but on Tuesday morning, a month after the tragic accident a military aircraft from the Botswana Defence Force arrived in Polokwane in the morning to transport the bodies home while a second, a private cargo aircraft arrive in the afternoon.
Police, undertakers and security personnel worked for hours to load the bodies, carried in brown wooden caskets sealed with paper onto the aircraft. The military aircraft transported the first 25 bodies to Gaborone while the remaining 20 were ferried in the private aircraft.
Botswana deputy president Slumber Tsogwane who presided over a ceremony to receive the deceased’s remains in Gaborone urged his citizens to rely on faith and to follow divine instructions. Tsogwane thanked the South African nation for all the help they have given Botswana to ensure that the deceased’s remains were returned home with due dignity.
Botswana newspaper Mmegi reported on Tuesday that a mass funeral of the deceased will take place on Saturday morning at Garanta cemetery in Molepolole where the deceased came from. The newspaper reported that the funeral will be precdeded by a service at the Molepolole Sports Complex Stadium and that the families will not be allowed to view the remains of their loved ones.
Mmegi reported that the Minister for State President, Kabo Morwaeng said the deceased had suffered mechanical damage.
“The body remains of our 45 victims of the tragic bus accident will be brought in sealed caskets and we want to assure you that they are clearly labelled. So, this said there will be no viewing of the bodies as that would be insensitive given the impact of the crash and the fire,” Morwaeng reportedly pleaded with the bereaved families.
Dr Ramathuba said a dedicated multidisciplinary team, including the SAPS victim identification unit, Biology Section of the Forensic Science Laboratory Unit, Forensic Pathology Services, and their Botswana counterparts, had worked tirelessly since the day of the accident to recover and positively identify the human remains through the DNA process.
“This meticulous process ensures that the human remains are repatriated to their respective families. It has been a long, tiring, and equally traumatizing journey to the team. However, we are comforted by the fact that the families will finally find closure,” said Ramathuba.
Initial information was that the driver of the bus travelling from Molepolole, about 50km from the Botswana capital Gaborone missed a turn off which saw the bus take the precarious R518 Mmamatlakala Pass route in Limpopo.
The pass, a high accident zone, is described as one with “26 corners, one of which is a sharp hairpin of 160 degrees with a long bridge at its apex; a length of almost 10 km and a height gain of 415 metres”.
Dr Sanji Monageng, Botswana’s High Commissioner to South Africa who attended the ceremony in Polokwane on Tuesday expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the two countries in dealing with the aftermath of the deadly crash. – news@mukurukuru.co.za
