NRZ elevator accident widow left destitute

By Noleen Makhurane

BULAWAYO – The family of a man who died in an elevator accident at National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has stripped his widow of all their household property, a court heard yesterday.

Silan Tshuma says she and their three children are virtually destitute. She is four months pregnant with her fourth child with Kevin Musina, a technician at Schindler Group which makes escalators and elevators.

Musina was on duty on July 3 when Elizabeth Mlangeni, an accountant at NRZ, called for a lift technician after the elevator jammed on the 23rd floor of the NRZ headquarters building at the corner of 9th Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo.

It is believed that Musina managed to force open the doors of the elevator which was stuck between two floors and attempted to pull Mlangeni out, but the accountant — who was of heavy build — could only drag him inside and they both fell into the elevator shaft to their deaths.

Their bodies were discovered 24 hours later.

Tshuma pleaded with Bulawayo magistrate Adelaide Mbeure at the maintenance court yesterday to help her after her late husband’s relatives shared all their property in her absence.

“I’m pregnant with our fourth child and I’ve no money to book the pregnancy at the hospital. My in-laws shared our furniture in my absence. All his money has not been released,” she said.

Tshuma said she had been married to Musina for 16 years, but their marriage had been strained, prompting her to obtain a maintenance order against her husband when he cut off support.

Court records show that in January 2014, Musina was ordered to pay $150 in child support for his three children but he had defaulted to the tune of $750.

Musina was due to appear in court yesterday after Tshuma had applied for a garnishee order prior to his death.

“My children have been left with nothing and I beg this court to assist us. We haven’t received any money from NSSA or his work place,” Tshuma told Mbeure.

The magistrate advised her to go to the deceased’s estate for registration of estate and claim maintenance from the estate. The Chronicle