Six South Africans still missing - ambassador

2002-10-14 13:34

Tisha Steyn

Cape Town - No South Africans have been reported killed by the car bomb that rocked a night club in Kuta, Bali on Saturday night, ambassador to Indonesia Norman Mashabane told News24 on Monday.

Four of at least 10 South Africans known to have been in Bali have been accounted for: Morné Viljoen has been transferred to Darwin in Australia, where he is in a serious condition. Three others have left for Taipei, where they teach English.

Mashabane said: "Consular officials have been deployed in Bali to help find any other South Africans who are reportedly there."

"We don't have any more information, and we are just not sure." He said they had not been told that any SA citizens have been reported dead.

"The situation in the hospitals is still very chaotic, and most of the dead have been burnt beyond recognition. Only about 30 of the dead have been identified beyond doubt.

Injured airlifted to Australia

"Unidentified bodies will be taken to Australia for DNA testing, as Indonesia doesn't have the facilities to do the testing."

At present, there are 182 people confirmed dead and 309 wounded. Of these, 225 have been admitted to hospital, and 113 of them are in critical condition. Twenty-seven of the critically injured have been airlifted to Darwin in Australia.

Mashabane said: "We are doing everything we can to determine the fate of all South Africans in the country.

"We are checking the hospitals here and in Canberra [Australia], and we have asked immigration officials at airports to give us a list of all South Africans who have arrived and left the country.

"We would like South Africans at home to contact us with details of family members who may be on holiday in Indonesia. It would make it easier to trace their whereabouts in the country."

Family members or friends of South Africans who might be in Indonesia are asked to contact 012 351 1262.

- News24