Synagogue building collapse: South Africa will repatriate remaining bodies – Authority

South African Government spokesperson, Phumia Williams, says the authorities in her country are committed to repatriating the bodies of South Africans that died in a collapse building in Nigeria.
South Africans are said to constitute the greater number of the 116 persons that died in the collapse of a guest house at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikorun area of Lagos State.
The church is headed by Pastor T.B. Joshua.
Williams spoke in Johannesburg on Saturday, observing that the government acknowledged that “families of the victims needed to begin the healing process.
“This can only happen once their loved ones are brought back home for proper burial.”
The building collapsed on September 12, 2014, killing 116 people, including 85 South Africans.
However, 74 bodies of South Africans had been repatriated while the remaining 11 bodies are still being verified via DNA test.
Williams said social workers and the South African forensic unit had visited the families of the remaining bodies.
According to her, fresh samples collected from the family representatives have been submitted to the laboratory for processing.
She said: “The South African government has been collaborating with the Nigerian authorities to finalise identifying the bodies.
“We will communicate with the families as soon as the Nigerian laboratory finalises the process.”