Thobeka Ngema|Published
Matching efforts—including cross-referencing DNA samples provided by the families of six missing South Africans—have so far yielded no identifications following the devastating flood in the Nepal-China border region.
The August 26 flood killed over 1 400 people and left more than 6 000 missing. Among them are six South Africans: Surendranath Maharaj, 74, and his wife, Anita Devi Maharaj, 67; Vivaganathan “Tony” Pillay, 66, and his wife, Janet Pillay, 56; Bavika Ramjee, 43; and Terricia Govender, 33.
Earlier this month, the Nepalese government announced that the country’s waiting period to legally declare missing victims dead from 12 years was shortened to 45 days following the August 26 flash floods.
South African High Commissioner to India, Nepal and Bangladesh, Professor Anil Sooklal, said that during his annual visit to Nepal recently, he met several ministers and the mayor of Kathmandu. Moreover, they wanted to get an update on the processes regarding those missing after August 26.
“There’s a lot of pressure on them, families wanting to bring closure for a number of reasons, legal reasons; they need a death certificate in terms of rounding up estates and other procedures; they need a death certificate to say the person is legally declared dead.”
Sooklal explained that he was trying to establish the procedure for families who have lost loved ones.
“They are busy working out the mechanics around it, but they said it will be through diplomatic channels, through the embassies, that they will inform families of the procedure in order to obtain death certificates for those that are still missing because they say the sludge is like kilometres thick,” Sooklal said.
“Of the 1 400 that they have found, they are busy with the matching in terms of fingerprints and DNA tests, but thus far nothing; not one of the six South Africans missing has found any matches.
“That’s where the process is at the moment. We just have to wait for them to pronounce the procedure and then inform the families from the South African side.”
Sooklal also shared that South African authorities and embassies in Pretoria and Delhi have been actively liaising with the affected families, facilitating forensic matching via DNA and fingerprints handed over to Nepalese authorities, and assisting families visiting to search through recovered personal belongings.
During his visit, Sooklal said he had positive engagements with Nepalese ministers, including discussions with the mayor of Kathmandu and the Rotary Club regarding potential city twinning and community linkages.
He also highlighted opportunities to deepen trade interactions and support the growing number of South Africans visiting for pilgrimage and adventure tourism at Mount Everest.
Meanwhile, Terricia’s mother, Linda Govender, has launched Global Voices for the Missing, a united call for the world to listen, care, share their stories, and help bring answers to families still waiting.
“We come together to turn our individual voices into one powerful international movement to raise awareness, share our stories, keep our missing loved ones in the public eye, and call for communication, answers, and continued efforts to establish what happened. We are here because our loved ones matter. Their stories matter, and the world must not look away,” Govender said.
On October 17, their proposed global action day, videos from across the world flooded Govender’s Facebook page.
She said they have to unite and ask for the missing to remain visible; for families to receive clear updates; and for appropriate follow-up to continue on every unresolved case.
"Therefore, we call for international media coverage, clear updates from authorities, continued cooperation between Nepal and China, and answers on identification or investigative steps for families," she said.