18 perish in Zimbabwe road carnage
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By TAPIWA MAKORE
Published: July 4, 2010
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ZIMBABWE – HARARE – EIGHTEEN people were killed and at least 50 others injured early yesterday morning when two buses rammed into a stationery truck within seconds of each other 81km from Harare along the Harare – Bulawayo road.
Of the 18 killed, 13 died on the spot with the other four dying on their way to Chegutu General Hospital.
One other person died at Selous Clinic and another at Parirenyatwa Hospital last night. The Air Force of Zimbabwe used two Augusta Bell 412 helicopters to ferry eight critically injured people to Parirenyatwa Hospital after being summoned by the local Civil Protection Committee chaired by Chegutu District Administrator, Mr Michael Mariga.
Mining giant Zimplats provided two ambulances to help move the injured. One bus belonging to Musanhi Bus Company was coming from Gokwe while the other belonged to Mandaza and was coming from Plumtree.
The Musanhi bus was the first to hit the back of the truck and was followed by the Mandaza bus, which was travelling closely behind it.
Most people travelling in the Mandaza bus were cross border traders coming from Botswana and had their goods, including television sets and refrigerators, destroyed on impact.
At the scene of the accident yesterday, scores of people from nearby farms were milling around while the police were scouring through the wreckage of the two buses.
The haulage truck owned by Two Keys company was carrying 19,8 tonnes of cotton from Kadoma to Glendale.
“The accident occurred when the buses rammed the stationery lorry around 4:30 am. Of the 13 who died on the spot six were in Musanhi bus while seven were in Mandaza bus,” National Traffic Police spokesperson, Inspector Tigere Chigome said.
The driver of the truck, Glen Makause said he stopped the truck after four rear wheels of the trailer came off around 2 am.
“The four wheels were loose and they came off so I had to stop but could not totally move the lorry completely off the road because of that,” he said.
“I then cut off some branches to indicate that the lorry had broken down because I did not have reflectors. I then slept and only woke up when I heard the noise made by the impact of the first bus that rammed the trailer.”
A survivor who was travelling in the Musanhi bus said the driver realised late that there was a broken-down truck ahead.
“The Musanhi bus driver might not have seen that there was a broken-down truck because there was no clear and proper warning.
“A part of the trailer was in the road and he then rammed into the trailer when he tried to avoid it.
“I was in the Mandaza bus that was just behind and it appears the driver also noticed late that there was a broken-down truck and when he tried to avoid it, the bus then hit the trailer before it overturned,” said Onismas Chigumadze, a cross border trader from Murehwa.
Some of the injured from the Musanhi bus related their tale at Parirenyatwa Hospital. Pindura Rushwaya, injured on the head and legs injuries, said there were no warning signs on the road and he though the bus lights were not in best condition.
“Just after Kadoma I warned the driver to reduce speed considering that the lights were faint but he remained adamant,” he said.
Malvern Chiwasa, who spoke from his hospital bed, blamed the accident on both bus drivers.
“Both buses were speeding. Had the drivers reduced speed the accidents could have been avoided,” he said.
Roy Munyaka who sustained a fractured leg had no kind words for the truck driver and called on the relevant authorities to take drastic measures on reckless drivers who are behind the road carnage on the country’s major highways.
“How can a sane person park his vehicle like that in the road. At least he should have used visible signs to warn other motorists of the broken down truck,” Munyaka said.
Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo; Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu and Chief Ngezi visited the scene of the accident.
Minister Chombo said Government had pledged to assist families of the victims of the accident meet burial costs.
“We are extremely saddened by this tragedy which has claimed 18 lives. Our message to motorists is that they should exercise extreme caution especially those carrying passengers.
“As Government we are going to assist all the affected families with transport, coffins and other logistical assistance.
“We have also directed the chairman of the local Civil Protection Committee that perpetrators of this tragedy be prosecuted and compensate all families adequately,” Minister Chombo said.
The accident comes on the backdrop of another one in Chegutu that occurred two weeks ago when three police detectives died when their vehicle rammed into a stationery lorry.
Another 18 people also perished when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in collided head on with an army bus a month ago.
Please assist with details of who we can speak regarding those involved. We have a staff members daughter who was travelling between Zim/Botswana and for the past 2 days we are unable to contact her. Her name is Apronia Muchapondwa and is 23 years of age. The Mother is extremely concerned and your assistance or guidance in this regard will be greatly appreciated. Kindly email me as per contact details attached.
Hope Mugabe can authorize $5000 payment help for the helpless souls who really need it left behind … a precedent was already set remember. Please Tuku family nothing personal to your family. I always feel for you and always will. However, we will not let you get defiled by the chief geriatric.
Secondly, are all these bus owners held accountable for all these frequent accidents in the country?
Do they have enough insurance coverage to cover all passangers and their respective loads?
Does the state require coverage in case of these accidents?
If so, is the state enforcing due compensation and payments to those parties and persons incurring damages in these accidents?
Please someone answer these questions for us all. The carnage on Zimbabwe roads is attrocious and has become unbearable.
How we cherish the past. It was better to deal with an accountable devil, than dealing with a devil with no laws to abide by. Some devils are better than others you … you think?