Zim GBC News | Gender and Community
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has directed the Zimbabwean government to cover repatriation, burial, and medical expenses for citizens affected by Sunday’s tragic bus crash in South Africa’s Limpopo province, which claimed 49 lives.
In a statement issued on Monday, the President expressed profound grief over one of the deadliest cross-border road accidents in recent years.
“I am deeply shocked and grieved by the tragic road accident,” Mnangagwa stated.
“On behalf of the government of Zimbabwe, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to families of the bereaved commuters here in Zimbabwe and other SADC countries so affected.”
The bus, travelling from Gqeberha to Harare with onward connections to Malawi, plunged down an embankment on the N1 highway near Makhado. The deceased included 18 women, 17 men, and seven children.
The President outlined comprehensive state support for the victims, stating,
“In respect of the injured, the government will meet all hospital bills,” while also covering repatriation and funeral costs for Zimbabwean nationals.
Mnangagwa also used the tragedy to call for enhanced regional cooperation on road safety, emphasizing that “it has become incumbent for traffic enforcement agencies across jurisdictions to collaborate more closely, and for our respective governments to harmonise our legislations in respect of vehicular traffic.”
He commended the South African government for its swift emergency response to the disaster, which has prompted renewed scrutiny of long-distance bus operations across Southern Africa.
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