Pretoria – The formal reception for the bodies of the South Africans who died when a guesthouse collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria two months ago is now underway at a hangar at the Waterkloof Airforce Base in Pretoria.
On 12 September, a multi-storey guesthouse collapsed claiming the lives of 116 people, most of whom were South Africans.
A total of 74 bodies were repatriated to South Africa from Lagos on Sunday following a lengthy process to identify the mortal remains. More are yet to be positively identified and repatriated.
Of the 25 injured South Africans who were earlier repatriated, only one patient is still receiving treatment at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
The mortal remains arrived in special mobile mortuary trucks aboard a cargo aircraft at Waterkloof Airforce Base on Sunday morning.
The mood at Waterkloof Airforce Base is sombre.
The hangar has been drapped in black and flowers and a podium have been set up on the stage in front for the families of the deceased, senior government officials, SAPS and SANDF officials and media.
The SAPS band has been playing up until the start of the programme, which will be led by Minister in the Presidency and Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team set up to oversee the repatriation process.
Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address on behalf of the government and the People of South Africa and thereafter the names of those who have been repatriated will be read out.
Social workers from the Department of Social Development are with the families to provide continuous support.
The ceremony is being broadcast live on national television.
At the end of the formal reception ceremony, the mortal remains will be transported by road to the closest government Forensic Pathology Services mortuaries in the different provinces.
From there the mortal remains will be transported to the government mortuary closest to the place of burial where they will be received by their next-of-kin.
Individual families will proceed with their own private funeral arrangements. – SAnews.gov.za
