Six killed in Beitbridge accident

SIX people died on the spot and one of them was burnt beyond recognition, while 23 others were injured when a bus they were travelling in from South Africa side-swiped with a haulage truck along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Road yesterday morning.

The accident occurred at around 6am near the 59km-peg along the road and the bus which had 54 passengers on board was heading towards Masvingo.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the bus belongs to Kingswing Bus Company while the truck was from Bindura Haulage.

“On approaching the 59km peg, the bus and the truck side-swiped resulting with the bus veering off the road and landed on its right side. The bus then caught fire and six passengers died on the spot. One of them was burnt beyond recognition,” she said.

She said the deceased would be named once their next of kin have been informed. The injured were taken to Masvingo General Hospital for treatment.

In May, six people were killed while 37 others were injured, three of them seriously, when a Pioneer bus ploughed into a herd of cattle 40km along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Road.

The Zimbabwe Traffic Safety Council recently said at least 416 people died while 2 463 people were injured in 8 706 accidents recorded countrywide between January and March this year.

The accidents and deaths had increased compared to last year where 368 people were killed while 3 523 were injured in 8257 accidents recorded.

Meanwhile, a policewoman died on the spot after she was hit by a lorry that failed to stop at a roadblock near the 56km along the Harare-Mutare Road in Marondera yesterday afternoon. The policewoman Constable Betserai Ndlovu was one of the officers who were manning a roadblock in Marondera area.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the incident occurred at around 2pm. She said drivers should be prepared to stop and exercise extra caution when approaching any police roadblock.