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Eastern Cape premier, Phumulo Masualle, has tasked the province's director-general to verify reports that several people from the province may have perished in the Nigerian church building collapse in Lagos last week that killed 67 South Africans.
In a statement on Thursday, following a meeting of his Executive Committee, Premier Masualle said Director General Mbulelo Sogoni would be liaising with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to verify the media reports.
Premier Masualle added that Sognoi would ascertain what consular assistance can be rendered to the affected families, including the envisaged role of the Bhisho Government in the repatriation of their mortal remains.
Premier's spokesperson, Nomfanelo Kota said that "It's going to be a long process to finally verify whether people came from here because it's likely that some of them did not register online to indicate that they would be paying a visit to Nigeria. We have to apply caution, reassure families that the government is doing everything it can."
The Daily Dispatch reports that one victim was from Queenstown while a person from Mdantsane in East London has been reported missing.
