12 Perish in Masvingo Commuter Bus Accident
Police said one of the commuter bus driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve and the bus veered off the road and killed seven people instantly
WASHINGTON DC — Twelve people died Monday in an accident in Zimbabwe’s Zaka district, Masvingo, on Monday when a commuter omnibus veered off the road while racing to catch a state-owned Zimbabwe Omnibus Company bus. A statement from the police said the commuter bus driver was ‘chasing’ a ZUPCO bus. Police said the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve and veered off the road killing seven people instantly and injuring the remaining passengers, who were taken to Musiso Mission Hospital for treatment. Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the deaths, adding that investigations are continuing. The kombi driver died in the accident. The overspeeding kombi was travelling from Svuure to Masvingo’s Jerera Growth Point in Masvingo. The ZUPCO bus was travelling from the Svuure area under Chief Bota with 23 passengers on board, heading to the same growth point. Meanwhile, forensic teams on Tuesday completed identifying 13 of the remaining victims from October’s Chisumbanje road accident that claimed the lives of 24 people. The victims, who were on their way to a burial, perished in the road accident after a T-35 truck side-swiped an ethanol tanker which then exploded, burning most of the victims beyond recognition. The driver of the ethanol tanker was among those who perished in the accident. The 13 will now be buried Friday in Chisumbanje. The relatives of the deceased had refused a mass burial preferring DNA tests to separate the victims. Clifford Muyambo, who was set to be buried the day of the accident, will also be buried on Friday.