Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
Five people died in two accidents in Mashonaland West over the holiday weekend, four in a head-on collision between an Isuzu double-cab and a mine bus near Banket on Sunday and one in a collision between a bus and a haulage truck on the Harare-Chirundu highway yesterday.
Both accidents are seen as avoidable with driver error continuing to claim lives.
Speaking after visiting victims and bereaved families of the Banket accident that claimed lives of four, three on the spot on Sunday afternoon and one injured person dying later, Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister Marrian Chombo, whose ministry houses the Department of Civil Protection, said it was worrisome that the nation was losing precious lives in road accidents that can be avoided.
The accident claimed lives of mourners escorting the hearse to the funeral of an elderly woman from the town to a nearby farm for burial.
The Isuzu twin-cab vehicle collided a few metres from the turn–off to the homestead with a Pan African Mine bus at the 3km peg along the Banket-Mazvikadei strip road.
“As Government we are concerned with the number of accidents that continue to occur on our roads. We have lost seven lives in two separate accidents in the province. I want to urge motorists to be very careful on the road and adhere to road regulations,” said Deputy Minister Chombo
One of the survivors admitted at Banket Hospital, Mr Raphel Muzondo, who had travelled from Harare to mourn his friend’s mother, said the accident occurred as a result of poor judgment.
“The driver of the bus failed to negotiate the curve which resulted in the head-on collision,” he said.
Another survivor and a relative of the old lady whose coffin was being transported to the nearby farm, Ms Sheila Chisango, said the driver of their vehicle tried to avoid the bus by swerving to the extreme left.
She is among 13 relatives and friends who were seriously injured and are currently admitted at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.
Ms Spiwe Patino who was in the other escorting vehicle, said two of those killed were in the trailer