Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) says those affected by the deadly Free State rail crossing crash have been receiving medical and emotional support.
Government has also promised to assist in paying for funeral costs.
Nineteen people died and over 200 were injured when a Shosholoza Meyl train travelling from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg, collided with a truck before bursting into flames at a rail crossing between Kroonstad and Hennenman.
Four of those who died are still unnacounted for. Prasa’s Sipho Sithole says the families that have come forward will be taken to the Kroonstad mortuary to begin the identification process on tomorrow.
Sithole says, “The health authorities have now told us that they are ready to receive the families. We are just hoping that we will have the courage and that bravery to face the families when they see the remains and some of the charred bodies of people that perished in that accident. After that we will then be dealing with the burial processes, because we don’t know how long the process of identifying the bodies will take.”
“It was a difficult meeting; not difficult in terms of the families being difficult, but just knowing the extent in which they are enduring the pain from losing their families in such a tragic accident. What complicates the matters is that even though we know the number of fatalities the process of being able to identify it will take place tomorrow. As government, we say we are here for them throughout the way for all families for the deceased and for the injured we are providing all the necessary support,” Sithole explained.
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