The death toll of the people who died in the crash rose to 43 last week after another passenger succumbed to injuries sustained in the accident.
The DNC Coaches bus, which crashed after the driver lost control, was carrying Malawians and Zimbabweans.Heartbroken families spent Monday in tears as they identified the remains of 36 Zimbabweans who died in the horror crash.
It has also emerged that an entire young family died in the bus accident.
Liveon Maidza, who was working in South Africa, was returning home for a visit in the company of his wife and their child.
They all died in the accident.The young family is expected to be buried in Mataga, Mberengwa
The emotional identification process, held at Siloam Hospital Mortuary, stretched the entire day as relatives braved the agony of confirming their loved ones among the badly damaged bodies.
South African forensic experts and pathologists worked tirelessly through the weekend to restore the remains for viewing.
The tragedy, which struck along the N1 near Makhado last Sunday, claimed 30 adult Zimbabweans and six children who were travelling on a bus bound for Harare and Malawi.
The crash also killed eight Malawian men, a woman, and a child, leaving 40 others injured.
As of Monday, 12 Zimbabweans and seven Malawians remained hospitalised in Limpopo Province.
Zimbabwe’s Charge d’Affaires in South Africa, Shepard Gwenzi, confirmed that repatriation arrangements were now underway.
“On 20 October, the physical identification of the deceased was successfully conducted at Siloam Hospital Mortuary with all bodies positively identified by next of kin. It is expected that the bodies will be handed over to Doves Funeral Services on 21 October for embalming in preparation for repatriation to Zimbabwe for burial,” said Gwenzi.President Mnangagwa declared the accident a State of Disaster and ordered State-assisted funerals for the victims.
“In this regard, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and other Government entities, is calling upon relatives of the deceased to come forward and assist in the identification process,” Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said in a statement.
