President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences to Zimbabwe following the deaths of 44 people in a ferry tragedy on Lake Kariba.
The ferry capsized on Tuesday, 11 August, with the death toll rising as search and rescue teams recovered more bodies from the lake. Survivors were rescued as emergency teams continued searching for people who remained missing.
Reports indicate the vessel was carrying significantly more passengers than its stated capacity. The ferry was reportedly designed to carry about 90 people but had more than 150 passengers on board when it capsized. Large waves are believed to have contributed to the accident, while authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Lake Kariba is a major water body on the Zambezi River and is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, seeving the communities in the region for fishing, tourism and transport, but the lake has also experienced previous fatal boating accidents.
Ramaphosa said South Africa stands in solidarity with Zimbabwe as the country mourns the loss of life.
“As South Africans, we stand in solidarity today with the nation of Zimbabwe as we mourn this extensive loss of life.”
He also wished survivors a speedy recovery and paid tribute to emergency personnel involved in the rescue and recovery operation.
“We wish survivors a speedy recovery and we pay tribute to the emergency services who are working tirelessly to support and bring closure to affected families and communities,” Ramaphosa said.
The President extended his sympathies to the families of those who died, as well as those still awaiting news about relatives who remain unaccounted for.
Zimbabwean authorities are continuing with search operations and investigations into the cause of the disaster.
