Pretoria - Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has extended her condolences to the families of seven Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members who died in an accident in Limpopo on Monday.
The seven were returning from Zimbabwe where, together with about 70 000 of the church's members, they had been attending a ZCC Prayer Convention, when they lost their lives.
Home Affairs, together with SAPS, SANDF, Customs and SARS had been involved in facilitating the smooth movement of those attending the convention.
Dlamini Zuma said it was a sad moment for Home Affairs, considering her department's involvement in facilitating the movement of the ZCC members.
"We can only imagine the pain and sorrow that death has brought to bear on the families of those who perished in this accident. Yet we express the hope that they can draw inspiration from the knowledge that the nation shares in their bereavement.
"Our thoughts and prayers during this hour of bereavement reach out to Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, families who lost their loved ones as well as the entire membership of the ZCC, while wishing those wounded a speedy recovery," the minister said.
She also thanked officials from her department, SAPS, SANDF, Customs, and SARS who spent the weekend ensuring the smooth travel of ZCC members.
"I am certain that working together we can indeed continue to ensure that travellers through our ports of entry, especially ahead of and during the holiday season, will receive excellent and professional service," Dlamini Zuma added.
