Horror crash victims identified

The wrecks of the car and truck which collided head-on along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge highway yesterday — The wrecks of the car and truck which collided head-on along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge highway

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
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 Road 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.
The incident occurred at around 3PM.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba identified the driver as Esau Muchichwa, whose age is unknown.
She said the passengers were Tanaka Munjodzi, Santisimo Jiyane, his son Bradley (one-year two months), Beloved Viano, 5, Alice Ndou, 28, and daughter Rinavo Ndou, 6, all of Beitbridge.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said another passenger, Brian Moyo, 33, was of an unknown address.
She called on motorists to be cautious on the roads and to take all precautionary measures before overtaking to avoid accidents.

“Motorists should also avoid overloading their vehicles and always check their tyres especially as we approach the rainy season,” said the police spokesperson.
Witnesses said the driver of the Mercedes Benz was earlier spotted drinking beer in Beitbridge and died while holding a bottle of beer and the steering wheel.
They said Muchichwa tried to overtake another vehicle without checking oncoming traffic resulting in the head-on collision with the truck.

The two vehicles caught fire as a result of the impact.
Two men who were travelling in the truck escaped unhurt.

Peter Moyo, the chairperson of the Beitbridge district civil protection unit said yesterday:
“This is very sad. We are urging motorists to always avoid drinking and driving. They must abide by the country’s road regulations to avoid the unnecessary loss of life.”

The accident comes a few months after 20 people were killed when a Mercedes Benz Sprinter they were travelling in was involved in a head-on collision with a Hino truck about 80km along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Road near Lion and Elephant Motel.