44 Botswana Nationals Killed in Easter Bus Crash in Limpopo Laid to Rest, Families Left Devastated

• The 45 Botswana nationals who died in a bus crash in Limpopo over Easter weekend have finally been laid to rest
• A mass funeral was held on Saturday, 4 May 2024 at a stadium in Molepolole Village in Botswana, where friends and family gathered to pay their last respects.
• Limpopo’s Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, represented President Cyril Ramaphosa at the funeral

Trisha Pillay is a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg. For 13 years, she has devoted her professional life to covering social issues and community news, sharing her expertise with newsrooms like The Citizen newspaper, African News Network, and Newzroom Afrika. Do you have a hard news story you would like to share? Email trisha.pillay@briefly.co.za with CA in the subject line.

BOTSWANA - A mass funeral service was held to honour the 44 Botswana nationals who tragically lost their lives in a bus crash in Mokopane, Limpopo.

Read also

Mashatile's bodyguards back in court for blue light assault

Limpopo bus crash

The incident occurred as members of Saint Engenas ZCC were travelling to a pilgrimage in Moria during the Easter weekend. The bus plunged down a bridge and caught fire, with only an eight-year-old girl surviving the accident.

The victims had to be identified through DNA tests and hundreds of mourners gathered at a stadium in Molepolole Village in Botswana to pay their respects on Saturday, 4 May 2024.

Among those present were Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba, representing the South African government, and artist Makhadzi.

Speaking at the funeral, Dr Ramathuba said:

"You believed in us. You trusted us. You knew we would execute this difficult but critical task mandated by our two heads of state."

She also thanked the families for their patience during the repatriation process, acknowledging their trust and confidence in the authorities handling this challenging task.

Read also

German man arrested in Johannesburg airport for human trafficking via dating site

The victims were buried at the local Garanra cemetery.

Click on the tweet below:

What you need to know about the Limpopo bus crash

• 45 worshippers lost their lives in a bus accident while en route to the annual Easter pilgrimage in Moria, Limpopo
• The bus driver lost control, colliding with barriers on the bridge and causing the bus to go over the bridge, plummeting about 50 metres
• Authorities from Botswana and South Africa anticipated a prolonged process in identifying the bodies as they awaited postmortem results
• After being identified through a DNA process, the victim's remains were sent back to their families in Botswana

Netizens send love

People from all over the world have sent their love to the families who tragically lost all their loved ones. Many are relieved that their loved ones can finally have closure.

Read also

Limpopo woman arrested for beheading wheelchair-bound son, police investigate

Here are some of the reactions:

@lebangcado_3116 shared:

"This is the only MEC that put us first in Limpopo, unlike the guy in the displayed picture."

@Mok43623Tumelo expressed:

"May their souls rest in peace."

@Dingswayo_N commented:

"A sad day indeed."

@Dhladhla950602 said:

"This is painful."

@Umbuzousamile13 exclaimed:

"May their families find strength and comfort."

@Cici_Dee shared:

"It’s too much, hai."

Families in Botswana to receive their loved ones

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the families of the 45 people who died in the bus accident on the R518 in Limpopo will begin their healing journey.

This was after the government, alongside its Botswanan counterparts, repatriated the remains of the deceased.

Limpopo’s Health Department said its multidisciplinary team worked tirelessly to identify the deceased through DNA.

Source: Briefly News