Nine women died on the scene when the bus rolled down an embankment on the R712 in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park near Clarens on Friday. Another two women died in hospital. A number of other SANDF members sustained various injuries in the crash.

In a statement on Saturday, the SANDF said the dead were Chaplain Phumza Teledimo, 37, of Bloemfontein; a civilian Lesego Cynthia Rasethuntsha, 25, of Selosesha, Thaba Nchu; Corporal Akhona Tshoni, 30, of Motherwell, Port Elizabeth; Lance Corporal Sharon Nosiphiwe Macala, 27, of Soul City, Kimberley; a civilian Maria Jacobs, 57, of Bloemside, Bloemfontein; a civilian Alice Thakanyane Masilo, 27, of Phelindaba, Bloemfontein; Lance Corporal Cheena Roberta Jonkers, 30, of Heidedal, Bloemfontein; Sergeant Matseko Josephine Madimabe, 26, of Bloemside, Bloemfontein; Lance Corporal Maditsietsi Constance Morotolo, 26, of Harrismith; a civilian Portia Palesa Ramabodu, 26, of Botshabelo; and Private Maserame Dorcas Molibeli, 25, of Disaster Park, Qwaqwa.

Funeral arrangements would be announced after confirmation by the families of the deceased members. A joint memorial service was planned for Wednesday. The time and venue for the memorial service would be announced in due course.

Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Defence Secretary, Sam Gulube, Chief of the SANDF, General Solly Shoke, and the Chief of the South African Army, Lt-Gen Lindile Yam, had expressed their heartfelt condolences to the families, loved ones, and friends of those that lost their lives and had visited the injured members at the various hospitals to wish them a speedy and full recovery from their injuries, the statement said.

ANA