adminMpumelelo Nyoni Chronicle Reporter
ELEVEN people have died so far during the Easter and Independence holiday, six of them in a bus accident that saw 63 others sustaining severe injuries.The passengers in a Mwaera bus were congregants of Freedom in Christ International Church who were on their way to a church conference in Hauna, Nyanga, when the accident happened on Thursday.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle and it overturned just after the nine kilometre peg along Mbuva Mutasa Road in Nyanga.
“The driver allegedly failed to negotiate a curve and lost control of the vehicle. It veered off the road and overturned.
“The six bodies were taken to Nyanga Hospital mortuary and the injured were also taken to the hospital,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
In the Midlands, two members of the same family died while 21 other passengers were seriously injured when a Toyota Coaster omnibus they were travelling in side swiped with a Bravo bus at the 328 km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway at around 1AM.
The Bulawayo-bound Toyota omnibus had 28 people of an apostolic sect on board who were going for their Easter convention when the accident occurred.
Seventy four road accidents had by yesterday been recorded nationwide, up from 71 during the same period last year.
The police spokesperson said 11 people had died since Thursday compared to three last year.
Seventy nine vehicles have been impounded for various defects and 22,167 tickets have been issued.
Manicaland Province has the most deaths with six, followed by Mashonaland East with two deaths. Harare, Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces have one death each.
Chief Supt Nyathi urged the public to exercise caution on the road.
“Motorists are supposed to exercise caution at all times. They should avoid speeding at all costs and to observe all the rules and regulations of the road,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
Last year police recorded a total of 424 accidents countrywide during the Easter holidays. From these accidents, 36 were fatal as 50 people were killed while 273 were injured.
Online Reporter