Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has sent a condolence message to the families of 12 people who died in a horrific accident which occurred at the 200km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo highway on Tuesday.
In a statement yesterday, the President called for enhanced traffic management technologies to combat the alarming rate of fatalities on the country’s roads.
The tragic incident occurred when a fuel tanker sideswiped a two-tonne truck and subsequently collided head-on with a Nissan AD Van at Sebakwe River near Kwekwe.
Among the deceased were six men and six women, all occupants of the van. Two people were injured.
Police reports indicated that the fuel tanker, which had two trailers, sideswiped the truck before colliding with the van, dragging it for several metres before overturning and crushing it underneath, trapping the victims inside.
President Mnangagwa condemned reckless driving on the nation’s roads.
“I learnt 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.
The President 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 said.
President Mnangagwa directed the relevant Government agencies to declare the traffic accident a national disaster, allowing for 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.
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