HARARE – Deceased veteran gospel musician Davies ‘Diva’ Mafunga crashed his head on some roadside rocks after being thrown out of a vehicle he was using to tow another car, police revealed Wednesday.
Mafunga died Tuesday on his way to Harare following the tragedy.
News of the artist’s unfortunate death was met with varying accounts by different newspapers in the country.
Police have since released a statement clarifying details of his death.
In a statement, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the road mishap happened while the musician was towing another vehicle.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police clarifies and sets the record straight on the fatal road traffic accident which occurred at the 261-kilometre peg along Harare-Bulawayo Road on 4 July 2023 at around 0520 hours in which a musician, Davies Mafunga, 50, was driving a Nissan Vannette vehicle which was towing a Nissan Navara vehicle, was killed,” Nyathi said.
“The Nissan Vannette vehicle was travelling towards Kwekwe with one passenger on board when it swerved after passing an oncoming bus resulting in the tow bar breaking.
“Subsequently, the Nissan Vannette vehicle veered off the road and plunged in a drainage before crashing on the rocks and trees.
“The victim was thrown out of the vehicle resulting in him hitting the rocks headlong.
“The driver of the Nissan Navara vehicle managed to stop on the extreme left of the road.”
Police warned the public against sharing inaccurate details of road traffic accident scenes they were no sure of.
Earlier reports had indicated the musician experienced a car breakdown as he was driving from Bulawayo to Harare after performing at late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo’s Umdala Wethu Gala in Maphisa Matabeleland South on Saturday.
He then decided to use alternative transport to complete the journey to Harare where he sought another vehicle and driver to tow the vehicle.
The incident would later result in the artist’s death.
