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Thupeyo Muleya in Beitbridge
Police have identified the eight people, among them three infants, who were killed when a Mercedes Benz they were travelling in was involved in a head-on collision with a haulage truck at the 271km peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Highway on Sunday.
The Mercedes Benz was travelling towards Gwanda from Beitbridge with eight people on board, including the driver, while the haulage truck was travelling from Bulawayo to Beitbridge.
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba identified the driver as Esau Muchichwa, age not known and the others as Santisimo Jiyane and her sons Bradley (one year two months) and Beloved Viano (5), Alice Ndou (28) and her daughter Rinavo (6) and Tanaka Munjodzi all of Beitbridge.
The eighth person was identified as Brian Moyo (33) whose address is unknown. Muchichwa was not related to any of the seven passengers in the car, which sources said he had borrowed from someone else.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba called on motorists to be cautious on the roads and to take all precautionary measures before overtaking to avoid accidents.
“Motorists should avoid overloading their vehicles and always check their tyres, especially as we approach the rainy season,” she said.
According to witnesses, Muchichwa was earlier on spotted drinking beer in Beitbridge and died while holding on to a bottle of beer and the steering wheel.
Witnesses said Muchichwa tried to overtake another vehicle without checking for oncoming traffic, resulting in the head-on collision with the truck.
The two vehicles caught fire on impact, but the two men travelling in the truck escaped unhurt.
Online Reporter