Limpopo MEC of Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba has confirmed that the sole survivor of Thursday’s tragic bus accident is in good health. 45 worshippers were killed when a bus travelling from Botswana to Moria fell over a bridge and caught fire on the mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken in Limpopo.
The eight-year-old girl sustained injuries and was airlifted to hospital. Speaking at a media briefing Ramathuba says the girl underwent a minor procedure, but is well.
“The child who survived, all I can reassure South Africans and Botswana nationals is that our child, it’s in a stable condition. She underwent a minor procedure this morning, I’ll still repeat it’s a minor procedure as part of the injuries that she sustained and our surgeons had to take her to theatre for that. She’s out of theatre apparently and she’s well. She’s in the ward, she’s doing well, her vitals are normal.”
Ramathuba has also confirmed that nine of the deceased are identifiable, however, the remaining bodies would have to undergo DNA analysis.
“We have received 34 body bags and that doesn’t mean 34 bodies. Its 34 body bags of which nine we can confirm that they are identifiable. So up to so far we can say nine, which we are working with the High Commissioner on the process of identification, but they are identifiable. The remaining 25 will still be subjected to serious processes.”
Limpopo Bus Crash | 8-year-old child survives against odds:
Botswana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Dr Sanji Mmasenono Monageng has visited the 8-year-old survivor. Monageng says the young girl is in good condition and her parents have also visited her.
The girl was travelling with her grandmother to the church at the time of the accident.
“The child in her state awake, was able to give her mother’s two mobile numbers from her head that should demonstrate as the MEC is saying, and what the doctors are saying she’s not a critical patient. We have seen her and you look at her, you see a girl who is serene, brilliant young woman, beautiful young woman. And just the detail God being who He is, the child was found on the road with her grandmother. They didn’t roll with the bus, and this is what has helped us.”
Additional Reporting Koketso Motau
