Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
FAMILIES who lost their relatives in a horror crash that killed 14 Zimbabweans, including an eight-month-old toddler in South Africa recently, have travelled to Beitbridge for DNA tests to help identify the accident victims. Bulilima District Administrator, Ethel Moyo, said the 14 were all from Bulilima District and six bodies had been positively identified so far.
According to South African police, 15 people, including a Malawian national, were killed in the accident that occurred at around 3AM on January 20 near Mokopane town in South Africa’s Limpopo Province.
All those who were killed, including the Malawian national, were in a Ford double cab travelling towards Pretoria with 16 people while the truck it collided with was going in the opposite direction.
Moyo said eight family members had travelled to the border town for DNA tests to be undertaken under the supervision of medical staff from South Africa.
“The 14 victims of the South African crash which occurred recently are all from Bulilima District. Some of the victims have been positively identified except eight. Some of the bodies were cut into pieces,” she said.
“Eight family members have travelled to Beitbridge where DNA tests will be administered by a doctor from the neighbouring country at the border.”
The bereaved relatives who came from various wards in Bulilima District converged at the Bulilima Rural District Council offices yesterday before leaving for the border.
They revealed that their late relatives had travelled home from South Africa for the festive season and met their fate on their way back to work in the neighbouring country.
Janet Nyathi, 52, of Masendu area said she lost two children Sihlobo and Thembani Ndebele aged 27 and 29 years in the horror crash.
She said her eldest child had left behind four children under her care. Nyathi said Thembani’s youngest child was three years old.
Sihlobo did not have any children.
“Two of my children Thembani and Sihlobo passed away in that horror crash. These two children were my pillar because they were supporting me. It is painful to lose two children at the same time in such a manner.
“When they left I expected to get a call from them telling me that they had arrived safely and not a call telling me they had passed on. Now my children are gone and I have four grandchildren to look after and I don’t know how as I don’t have a source of income,” said Nyathi.
Powie Ndlovu, 54, from Madlambuzi area said her 27-year-old son, Trust Ndlovu, also died in the crash.
Rosemary Moyo, 62, of Madlambuzi area said she lost her 30-year-old nephew Relevant Moyo in the accident while Rachel Mlala, 64, of Madlambuzi area said she lost her 32-year-son, Cosmas Mlala.
Emelda Tshuma, 65, who is also from Madlambuzi area lost her 42-year-old daughter Gertrude Tshuma.
Qoko Nkomo, 64, of Gonde area lost her 40-year-old son Temba Moyo in the accident.
Eleven Zimbabweans from Bulilima and Tsholotsho were killed in January last year while on their way to South Africa when a vehicle they were travelling in hit a donkey and then rammed into a tree. They were also returning to their work places after the festive season.