President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences to Zimbabwe following the Lake Kariba ferry disaster, which has claimed 44 lives.
Ramaphosa says South Africa stands in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe during the tragedy and has extended his sympathies to the families of those who died, survivors and relatives still waiting for information about missing loved ones.
He also wished those who survived the incident a speedy recovery and praised emergency personnel involved in the rescue and recovery efforts.
Ramaphosa paid tribute to the teams working to assist affected families and communities, while continuing efforts to locate those who remain missing.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has also conveyed his condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the ferry accident.
In his message, Mnangagwa described the incident as a devastating tragedy that had exposed serious shortcomings in Zimbabwe's maritime safety and rescue capabilities.
He has called on relevant government agencies to urgently investigate and address the identified weaknesses.
Mnangagwa also urged authorities to take immediate corrective measures aimed at strengthening maritime safety and preventing a similar disaster from occurring in the future.
The tragedy has prompted renewed attention on safety measures and emergency response capabilities on Lake Kariba, one of the region's major inland waterways.