Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has expressed deep sorrow following the death of 12 people in an accident which occurred near Sebakwe River in Kwekwe on Tuesday morning which left two other people injured.
Cde Mnangagwa called for enhanced traffic management technologies to combat the alarming rate of fatalities on the country’s roads.
The tragic incident occurred at about 10.30am when a fuel tanker sideswiped a two-tonne truck before colliding head-on with a Nissan AD van along the Harare-Bulawayo Road.
Six men and six women who were all in the AD van died on the spot following the collision.
According to police, the fuel tanker, which had two trailers, sideswiped the two-tonne truck before colliding with the van which it dragged for several metres before overturning and crushing the van. The occupants of the AD van who all died on the spot, were trapped underneath.
In a statement, President Mnangagwa condemned reckless driving on the nation’s roads.
“I learned with a very heavy heart of the horrific traffic collision which claimed 12 innocent lives. This deadly incident adds yet another grim statistic to the needless toll that reckless driving levies on our people and our Nation,” he said.
He acknowledged the efforts of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in deploying high-end technologies for traffic management but stressed that more needs to be done to reduce the spiralling fatalities.
“The duty for safe traffic conduct falls on all road users, and the responsibility to call out reckless road users includes the general public,” he added.
President Mnangagwa declared the accident a State of Disaster and directed relevant Government agencies to ensure State support in the interment of the deceased and assistance for those hospitalised.
“May all the bereaved and affected families find comfort in knowing our Nation mourns with them in this hour of deep grief and pain,” he said.
The bodies of the victims have been taken to Kwekwe General Hospital for post-mortem, and police will soon release their names.
According to the Kwekwe District Civil Protection Unit, the victims were either couples or relatives travelling to Ndarama Mine in the Sherwood Block for artisanal mining and farming activities.
