More than two years after a devastating bus crash in Limpopo, South Africa, at least 20 families affected by the St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC) tragedy may receive compensation from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) before the year ends.
The crash, which claimed 45 lives, left many families in Botswana grappling with grief and a complex legal battle for financial relief. While some families are nearing compensation, others face the possibility of being left out. Reportedly, around 10 of the 45 families involved in the claims process have been deemed ineligible after failing to meet the RAF’s criteria.
Lawyers representing the bereaved are now seeking ways to assist those excluded from payouts. The first group, primarily from Molepolole, is expected to receive compensation by year’s end, assuming the process continues smoothly.
This development follows the completion of a confidential assessment report that reviewed all 45 claims and identified which families qualify for compensation. Khumiso Tshephe of Tshephe Legal Practice in Gaborone confirmed the report’s completion. “It is true that the assessment report is out,” she said, adding that claim documents for at least 20 families have now been submitted to the RAF.
Legal teams have spent months scrutinizing the claims, conducting detailed analyses of the financial losses suffered by each family. On May 1, 2026, Tshephe and her South African legal partner, Amigo Ndlovu of Ndlovu Attorneys, visited Molepolole to present each affected family with actuarial reports outlining their loss-of-support claims.
These reports considered factors such as the deceased’s earnings, financial contributions to dependents, dependency calculations, income distribution, actuarial assumptions, calculation methods, and tax implications.
Each claim was explained individually to ensure families understood how the figures were determined. “I am optimistic that the first batch will receive their compensation before the end of the year if everything goes according to plan,” Tshephe said. Meanwhile, lawyers in both Botswana and South Africa continue to explore options to assist families that did not qualify.
Approximately 10 families were excluded because the deceased did not have recognized direct dependents who met the RAF’s beneficiary requirements. Ndlovu noted that the process was further delayed by challenges in obtaining essential documents from the South African Police Service. Legal teams were often redirected between offices but eventually overcame these hurdles.
The case dates back to March 28, 2024, when a bus carrying ZCC pilgrims from Molepolole to Moria in South Africa crashed near Mmamatlakala in Limpopo. The worshippers were en route for Easter celebrations when the bus veered off a bridge after the driver lost control and caught fire.
Forty-five worshippers died in the crash. An eight-year-old girl survived with serious injuries, the sole survivor of one of the deadliest road tragedies involving Botswana citizens in recent memory. For the families left behind, the anticipated compensation may offer more than financial relief—it could bring a measure of closure, justice, and an end to a painful chapter.