Fourth Mhunga bus accident kills 40

By Fortune Tazvida

Calls for buses from Mhunga Transport to be banned on the country’s roads grew louder this week after a second crash inside 3 months killed 40 people injuring another 30 on Sunday.

The crowded bus slammed into a truck on the notorious “Tsvangirai Highway of Death” the same road (Harare-Masvingo) which claimed the life of Susan Tsvangirai in March this year.

The Mhunga bus is said to have tried to overtake a vehicle in front of an oncoming lorry resulting in the collision. Only 3 months ago in May, a bus from the same company was involved in an accident which killed 30 people.

The bus company has killed more people in Zimbabwe than any other company leading many to call for their banning or at the very least an investigation into their operations.

In February 2008 another Mhunga bus killed 14 people with 55 injured when it left the road and crashed into a tree along the Masvingo-Nemanwa Road. Five died on their way to Masvingo General and Morgenster Mission hospitals. The Renco-bound bus had 75 people on board, including the bus crew, when tragedy struck at the 18,5km peg.

Two months before this crash another Mhunga bus in late 2007 killed 11 people along the Masvingo-Zvishavane Road.