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Vendors at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Lobengula Street in Bulawayo have described scenes of chaos and horror as a commuter omnibus lost control and rammed into their stalls on Wednesday evening.
Hundreds of vendors operate on that street and scores of people gather there to buy provisions and board kombis on their way to their homes in the western areas.
“I had gone to look for some change and suddenly I heard screams and the sound of a car moving. When I looked back, I saw it ramming into vendors and scotch carts around. Others got trapped, others were injured. It was horrible to see,” said one vendor, who requested not to be named.
Another witness, known only as MaSibanda, recalled: “All I heard was the clanging of a car as it was coming towards us, and we got out of the way quickly. Some are lucky to be not hurt or alive.”
According to several vendors, the driver allegedly attempted to pick up his phone while driving and accidentally pressed the accelerator, sending the kombi careering into the crowd.
One eyewitness added: “This driver, I hear, knocked down two people at Emagetsini last week, and also hit a woman just by the corner.”
The crash, which left two people dead and 17 others injured, prompted an immediate response from emergency services.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mhlangano Moyo confirmed that the injured were transported to Mpilo Central Hospital and that the driver had been arrested.
Online Reporter