adminHerald Reporter
The two City Link bus drivers who died in an accident near Norton on Wednesday after their bus collided with a Nissan UD truck along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway have been identified and burial is set for the weekend.
The two were identified yesterday as Elliot Jofita (35), who was driving the bus at the time of the accident, and his co-driver Obert Gondongwe (41).
Jofita, who is survived by his wife and five children, will be buried at West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo, while Gondongwe, who is also survived by his wife and five children, would be buried at his rural home in Chivhu.
The truck driver, who also died in the accident, was not yet identified by yesterday, while some of the 19 other people who were injured in the accident were released from hospital on Wednesday and yesterday.
It also emerged yesterday that it was actually the driver of the lorry who encroached into the lane of the bus while trying to avoid smoke from a raging fire on the side of the road.
The bus had just left the tollgate and had not picked up speed when the lorry swerved as its driver attempted to avoid the smoke that had blocked part of his lane.
The bus was heading for Harare, while the lorry was travelling in the direction of Bulawayo.
City Link general manager Mr Gerald Matapure yesterday said that the bus company would assist with the burial of its drivers and the truck driver.
“We will also ensure that our drivers’ children are provided with assistance in their education,” he said. “The deceased were loyal sons of City Link and had a lot of driving experience between them. We are one of the few bus operators on that road who use two drivers on the journey. It is the first time City Link was involved in a fatal accident since it started operating in 2008 and that is our safety record. It is unfortunate that the accident occurred.”
Mr Matapure said Mr Jofita joined City Link in 2010, while Mr Gondongwe joined in 2011.
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