4 die in Masvingo-Beitbridge road crash

Zim Now Writer

Four people died while six others were injured in an accident on Tuesday morning at the 180km peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge road.

Police said the accident occurred around 6am.

“An Iveco Sprinter vehicle with 9 people on board, which was traveling towards Beitbridge veered off the road to the left before hitting a tree. As a result of the accident, four people died on the spot while six were injured.

“The injured people were referred to Neshuro District Hospital for treatment while the bodies of the victims were conveyed to the same institution for post-mortems,” national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said in a statement posted on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)’s official Twitter handle.

Meanwhile, police also released the names of the six victims of the accident along the Kwekwe-Gokwe road that occurred on Saturday.

The names of the deceased are: Nathan Maphosa, male adult aged 65; Beula Ndebele, female juvenile, 17; Moleen Ndlovu, female adult, 64, all from Jojo Village in Zhombe; Francis Shayauno Mapuranga, male, 38; Earnest Chireya, male, 35, both of Shayauno Village in Gokwe North and Patrick Bhasopo, male, 28, of Redcliff in Kwekwe, according to Ass Comm Nyathi.

He urged motorists to be patient on the roads and avoid driving against the flow of traffic.

“Above all, motorists should maintain the required braking distance when driving and follow all road rules and regulations to avoid unnecessary loss of lives on the roads,” Ass Comm Nyathi added.

As more and more people lose their lives due to carnage on the roads, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the bulk of the accidents on our roads are largely caused by human error and vehicles that are not roadworthy and urged motorists to always ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy, warning them against speeding, overloading and drunken driving.

Reckless and negligent driving continues on the roads, with some unlicensed people driving vehicles, while privately-owned kombis continue to be a menace, in some cases driving against traffic and knocking down unsuspecting pedestrians.

Pirate taxis are also causing chaos on the roads, always speeding while overloaded, putting the lives of passengers and other motorists in danger.