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Chronicle Reporter
SIX people died on the spot and five others were injured in an accident involving a Pioneer bus, a Hino truck and a Toyota Hilux along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road early on Tuesday morning.
The accident occurred at the 190-km peg at 4.30am.
One of the survivors, Mr Thulisani Moyo (25), narrated his harrowing experience to Chronicle from his hospital bed at Gwanda Provincial Hospital yesterday.
“I was in the single cab open Hilux when I heard a loud scraping noise. I looked up to see the bus looming in our path. Everything happened so fast. I was thrown out of the truck on impact and landed on my back on the tarred road,” he said.
He said he injured his back in the fall and could not move.
“I watched helplessly as the other passengers who were trapped in the Hilux that had been reduced to scrap metal, died one by one. They were in so much pain and I saw some of their bodies’ spasming as they died. I could not respond to their cries for help because I was also in pain and I thought I had become paralysed,” Mr Moyo said.
He said one of the deceased was his uncle.
Mr Moyo said passing motorists helped to take the injured to hospital, while he went to Gwanda Hospital in a police car.
His aunt, Ms Rhoda Moyo, who visited him in hospital yesterday, said it was a miracle that he had survived.
She added that his relatives had already gathered for a funeral wake in Tsholotsho when news of the accident broke out.
Contacted for comment, the Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Inspector Tafanana Dzirutwe said two victims of the accident were yet to be identified.
“Only four of the victims have been identified. The remaining two bodies are still at Gwanda Provincial Hospital mortuary,” he said.
He said the driver of the Hilux, which was coming from Bulawayo, failed to negotiate a curve and the trailer he was pulling swerved into the path of an oncoming heavy duty Hino truck.
“The trailer hit the right rear wheel of the truck, and the Hilux swung further into the oncoming traffic lane. This resulted in a head-on collision between the Hilux and a Pioneer bus that was coming behind the truck,” said Insp Dzirutwe.
He said there were 10 people in the Hilux and six of them died on the spot.
“The bus veered of the road and stopped against some rocks that were by the roadside. Of the five people who were injured, four were taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals because they were in a critical condition, and one was admitted at Gwanda Provincial Hospital,” said Insp Dzirutwe.
He said the accident was probably caused by fatigue on the part of the Hilux driver.
“We therefore urge drivers to possibly take rest especially after every 100 kilometres to avoid fatigue.
“We are appealing to members of the public who could be missing relatives to get in touch with Gwanda National Traffic on (0284) 22600 to identify the bodies,” he said.
Meanwhile, police have identified the deceased as three men, Langa Mazibisa (28), Andrew Mabhena (34), Alois Macent and one woman Sithembile Moyo (31), all from Chief Msingwane in Tsholotsho.
Online Reporter