Source: ED declares Beitbridge Road accident national disaster –Newsday Zimbabwe
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the accident that occurred along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway yesterday morning a national disaster.
In a statement yesterday, Mnangagwa said the government would accord “victims of this horrendous crash State-assisted burial”.
“The death of 24 Zimbabweans in a head-on collision between an Urban Connect bus and a commercial haulage truck, along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway this morning, left me horrified and heart-broken,” he said.
“Fellow Zimbabweans, our nation does not deserve this at all, let alone experiencing such a bloody incident at the beginning of the year.
“We have to do all that is possible to curb this unjustified loss of life. I, therefore, appeal to all motorists to exercise extreme caution on our roads, for the sake of both fellow road users and themselves.”
Mnangagwa reminded all arms of government responsible for ensuring safety on the roads “to work around the clock and invoke all legal means and powers available to them, to reduce and subsequently put an end to such carnage”.
“As I express my deepest, heartfelt condolences to families and relatives who have lost their loved ones in this horrific crash, I also heartily and prayerfully reach out to all those injured and hospitalised, wishing them speedy recovery,” he said.
Twenty-five people died yesterday morning, with several others seriously injured after a Beitbridge-bound Urban Connect bus was involved in a head-on collision with the haulage truck at the Tshapfuche tollgate, 26km from Beitbridge.
Of the casualties, including the conductor of the bus, 17 died on the spot while the remainder succumbed to their injuries on admission at Beitbridge District Hospital.
The accident happened about 150 metres shy of the tollgate when the bus driver tried to overtake two other vehicles around 7am.
A heavy scent engulfed the accident scene, where bodies and limbs were strewn all over, with the driver, Chris Chitsaga, who survived being thrown out, clinging to his steering wheel.
The truck driver and two security details guarding his magnesium consignment bound for Chirundu survived.
Witnesses said on impact with the truck belonging to Belgrave Services or Alro Transport, the bus spun, throwing out passengers on its left side, but momentarily hit the side of the truck trailer and spun in the opposite direction, again throwing out passengers on its right.
“It had just left me at Tshapfuche School bus stop. A couple crossing the road ran for dear life as the bus overtook a car and a truck before hitting into the truck. It all happened in less than 500 metres,” said a villager only identified as Foster.
Witnesses blamed the accident on human error.
Rescue teams from Beitbridge, including emergency services from the Municipality of Beitbridge, officials from the Beitbridge Department of Civil Protection, police teams, Beitbridge mayor Peter Pirato Mafuta and town clerk Loud Ramakgapola as well as dozens of ordinary people rushed to the scene to assist.
Beitbridge district medical officer Linos Samhere said eight of the 56 people admitted at his hospital had succumbed to their injuries.
“We received 17 bodies from the scene,” he said.
“We admitted 56 with various serious injuries and of those, eight unfortunately passed on.
“We transferred 10 to Gwanda and Bulawayo.”
Beitbridge Hospital was a hive of activity with several injured people lying in corridors with staff hardly affording to break for lunch.
Management at Urban Connect conveyed its condolences to bereaved families and offered assistance.
“We will offer compassionate assistance to relatives of the departed and we have started rendering assistance to the injured,” the management said in a statement.
“We pledge to co-operate with authorities in investigations into this accident.”
Mayor Mafuta called for caution among drivers to curb accidents.
“There is need to have buses’ speed governed,” he said.
“We will lose more lives in these circumstances.”
The Beitbridge Rural District Council provided fuel for ambulances.
“We also provided lunch to police on the scene. This bus was coming for business to Beitbridge,” he said.
There are no road signs towards the tollgate.
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