11 Zimbabweans Perish in Road Accident
All the deceased are said to be members of the apostolic faith church, who were travelling to the coal-mining town, Hwange, for a religious conference.
WASHINGTON — Eleven Zimbabweans died and at least 119 were injured early this morning in a road accident in the country’s Matabeleland North province. According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, they were travelling in a packed 10-tonne truck, which burst a tyre, veered off the road and overturned along the Binga Dete Road. All the deceased are said to be members of the apostolic faith church, who were travelling to Hwange for a religious conference. Clifford Gopo, deputy director of the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, said local people should always use roadworthy vehicles. “Our advice is that they should make sure that they put vehicles on the road that are fit, vehicles that are certified to be worth on the road. We also encourage passengers to speak out and when they board they should first of all check whether the vehicles that will be carrying them will be able to transport them to their respective destination and then they should also check whether the drivers are certified or are licensed to be driving them.” He urged all stakeholders to work together in reducing road traffic accidents in Zimbabwe. “We all need to put our heads together as government, as private sector, as the travelling passengers because in most cases you find that if you look at the Kamativi (accident), the preliminary report that has come out of the Kamativi accident we have passengers encouraging the driver to drive a road unworthy vehicle. So, as travelling passengers we also have a responsibility to protect our lives.”