Limpopo’s MEC for Health, Phophi Ramathuba, says they have sent three samples from the bus crash victims who perished on their way to Saint Engenas Zion Christian Church in Moria to Pretoria, for further DNA processing
Ramathuba says out of 72 samples which were collected, only three were not identifiable through DNA.
She says the samples were sent to Pretoria last Friday. The MEC says 42 of the 45 victims have been positively identified through DNA and some through fingerprints.
“But what we can report to you is that out of the 72, only three samples were returned back by the laboratory for us to collect specimens. As I’ve said there has been damage both mechanical and thermal from the heat and also from the injuries which resulted in very difficult situations because even the mechanical damage does have an effect on the destruction of the DNA. The thermal becomes even worse.”
Ramathuba says once the process of death registration is fanalised, repatriation of the remains will follow.
“We are expecting the process of death registration our Home Affairs is here. We are already ready but you must also understand that the process of registration death requires families. What we have done as South Africans is to make sure that together with home affairs that portion which requires a family to be physically present. We are having an oath that families will be able to sign like we did with the DNA matching.”
The Saint Engenas ZCC pilgrims were on their way to Moria outside Polokwane when their bus lost control and plunged into a ravine at Mmamatlakala Bridge outside Mokopane. –Reporting by Avhapfani Munyai
