Emotional send off for five deceased teachers

KWEKWE was filled with grief yesterday as mourners paid their respects to five Munyati Primary School teachers, who lost their lives in a tragic road accident on Friday afternoon.

The teachers were travelling in a Toyota Aqua when they collided head-on with a Homan Sino truck near Kwekwe, on the Harare-Bulawayo highway.

Two passengers were also in the truck.

Police identified the victims as Tsungirirai Joe (57) of Munyati, Mitchell Maticha (22) of Kwekwe, Sithabile Nothando Moyo (33) of Kwekwe, Everjoice Ngwenya (38) of Kwekwe and Lesley Mugwidi (29) of Kwekwe.

A memorial service was held before their bodies were taken to their respective areas for burial.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Cde Owen Ncube, attended the memorial and expressed his grief over the incident, which had robbed families of bread winners.

He said the Government would provide a state-assisted funeral for the teachers.

“On behalf of President Mnangagwa, First Lady Dr Auxilia Mnangagwa and indeed the whole of the Midlands Province, I want to convey my sincere condolences to the families of the deceased at this very difficult moment.

“No one can be a doctor or a minister without being taught by a teacher, we salute them,” he said.

Minister Ncube urged all drivers to exercise extreme caution on the roads.

“Life is sacrosanct, hence the need to be diligent when driving. We, therefore, mourn with the families of the deceased because this is a loss, not only for you, but for Zimbabwe since the deceased were serving members of the Civil Service,” he said.

Speaker after speaker described the teachers as a joyful crew that had experience in their work and would be greatly missed in the education sector.