FAMILIES of Zimbabweans killed in Nigeria when a building collapsed at Prophet TB Joshua’s Lagos compound will likely receive the remains of their loved ones beginning this weekend, thanks to the South African government.
Three Zimbabweans, including Mashonaland West MDC-T chairman, Greenwich Ndanga, died in September when a multi-storey guesthouse collapsed at the controversial preacher’s Synagogue Church of All Nations.
The victims included 81 South Africans and their remains have still to be repatriated, two months later due to various problems including identification of the bodies.
However, the South African government expects to repatriate the remains this weekend, Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe, said Wednesday.
President Jacob Zuma appointed Radebe as his Special Envoy to travel to Nigeria to engage with Abuja authorities with a view to expediting the repatriation process.
Briefing the media in Lagos following his meeting with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, Radebe said: “If everything goes well, we should be able to repatriate them this coming Saturday in order to arrive in South Africa on Sunday.
“As soon as we get a green light, we will repatriate. Our infrastructure is ready; the aircraft to transport our compatriots is also ready.
On Monday, he paid a courtesy call on President Jonathan to convey a message from President Zuma on the need to speed up the process of repatriating the South Africans, who perished in the accident.
Radebe said Jonathan was not only committed to the process, but had on several occasions been in communication with Zuma to indicate his full support to ensuring the South Africans, as well as three remains from Zimbabwe and one from the DR Congo travelling on a South African passport, were repatriated.
Three Zimbabweans, including Mashonaland West MDC-T chairman, Greenwich Ndanga, died in September when a multi-storey guesthouse collapsed at the controversial preacher’s Synagogue Church of All Nations.
The victims included 81 South Africans and their remains have still to be repatriated, two months later due to various problems including identification of the bodies.
However, the South African government expects to repatriate the remains this weekend, Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe, said Wednesday.
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| Died in Nigeria ... Mashonaland West MDC-T chairman, Greenwich Ndanga |
Briefing the media in Lagos following his meeting with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, Radebe said: “If everything goes well, we should be able to repatriate them this coming Saturday in order to arrive in South Africa on Sunday.
“As soon as we get a green light, we will repatriate. Our infrastructure is ready; the aircraft to transport our compatriots is also ready.
On Monday, he paid a courtesy call on President Jonathan to convey a message from President Zuma on the need to speed up the process of repatriating the South Africans, who perished in the accident.
Radebe said Jonathan was not only committed to the process, but had on several occasions been in communication with Zuma to indicate his full support to ensuring the South Africans, as well as three remains from Zimbabwe and one from the DR Congo travelling on a South African passport, were repatriated.
