CHIVHU – Eight people were confirmed dead while four others were injured Sunday when a Nissan Vannet VN200 vehicle carrying 11 passengers was involved in a head-on collision with a Shackman truck along the Chivhu-Nyazura road.
In a statement, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the fatal incident occurred at the 135-kilometre peg at Save Bridge just before 8PM.
He added, “Preliminary investigations by the police indicate that the accident occurred after the Nissan Vannet N200 vehicle hit a grid on the bridge resulting in the ball joint of the vehicle dislodging. Subsequently, the vehicle veered onto the oncoming lane.
“The driver of the Shacman truck fled the scene, leaving behind the vehicle and some documents.”
Seven of the dead accident victims were named as Priviledge Muzanenhamo, aged 41, Elizabeth Tomu, 30, Aleck Zenda, 31, George Kamhunga, 34, and Anotida Zenda,1, all from Timire Park, Ruwa, Harare.
Also among the deceased were Angela Kamhunga, 25 and Wadzanayi Kamhunga, 30, both from Kuwadzana 1 in Harare.
The bodies of the eight victims were taken to Murambinda Mission Hospital mortuary for post mortem while the injured are admitted at the same hospital, Nyathi said.
He implored road users to “exercise caution and adhere to road rules and regulations to prevent such accidents”.
Nyathi added, “Motorists are urged to prioritise the servicing of their vehicles to ensure that the vehicles are fit and secure to carry passengers or goods on the roads.
“The police is concerned with pirate taxis or mushikashika vehicles which are being used to flout traffic laws and in the process get involved in road traffic accidents.
“It is sad to note that some of these vehicles will be overloaded with no regard for the safety of travellers.”
The fatal road crash adds to an already alarming Zimbabwe road carnage regarded as one of the worst in the world.
According to authorities, five people die on Zimbabwean roads everyday.
Most of the accidents, according to police, are a result of avoidable human error.
