Vusumuzi Dube
Two people died while ten others were injured when the driver of a Honda Fit lost control of his vehicle and crashed into pedestrians walking along the side of the road in Bulawayo on Monday.
One of the deceased persons died on the spot, while the other succumbed to injuries upon arrival at a local hospital.
Police confirmed that the accident took place along Nketa Drive near Chicken Corner on Monday, saying other 10 pedestrians were injured during the mishap.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele identified the deceased as Monica Tichava (41) and Lorraine Shoko (17).
According to police, a 29-year-old driver from Gwabalanda high-density suburb, was traveling along Nketa Drive around 5 AM with three passengers on board when he lost control of the vehicle.
The car veered off the road, striking pedestrians walking in the same direction.
“As a result of the accident, two pedestrians died while others sustained injuries. The injured were rushed to Mpilo Hospital for treatment,” Msebele said.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals mortuary for post-mortem.
Msebele attributed the cause of the accident to speeding and the failure by the driver to maintain control of the vehicle.
“The driver was speeding and failed to control the vehicle, leading to this tragic loss of life. He is likely to face culpable homicide charges,” she said.
She urged motorists to exercise caution and adhere to road traffic to regulations to prevent such accidents.
“We encourage motorists to exercise extreme caution when driving on the country’s roads and remind pedestrians to remain vigilant, ensuring they walk on the correct side of the road to remain visible to drivers,” Msebele advised.
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