The tragedy, which occurred on Holy Thursday 2024, left the nation of Botswana in mourning and plunged the ZCC congregation into despair.

The accident took place at Mmamatlakala Bridge in Limpopo province, South Africa, when a bus carrying ZCC pilgrims veered off the road, plummeting 24 metres before exploding. Of the 46 passengers on board, 43 were burnt beyond recognition, and only one, an 8-year-old girl named Lauryn Siako, survived.

Reflecting on the tragedy, Oreeditse Molebatsi, a ZCC Minister in Botswana, described the profound impact on the congregation and the nation.

“What happened last year was traumatic indeed. Losing 45 people at a go is not easy, bearing in mind that they are from one congregation, which is in a country of a paltry population of just above 2.3 million people,” Molebatsi said in an interview with Channel Africa.

Despite the heartbreak, Molebatsi emphasised the congregation’s determination to honour the memory of those who perished.

“The experience plunged the country into a state of shock, despair, and desperation. But, as Zionists, we are not going to allow fear to overcome us. We are leaving in our numbers to Moria, as a sign of honouring the lives of the departed members who perished on their way to praise the Lord during last year’s Easters,” he added.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--