Three Gweru City Council (GCC) employees died on the spot when a vehicle they were travelling in burst its right front tyre, veered off the road, overturned and hit some trees.
The trio has been identified as brothers Hosiah and Lewis Rufasha and Sydney Mbewe who were municipal police officers under the clamping department.
Council yesterday held a procession in their honour. From Nyaradzo the procession passed through Main Street before proceeding to the Boggie tower clock and to the Town House where a moment of silence was observed.
National Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the accident occurred on Friday around 1PM at the 98km peg along the Harare-Masvingo road.
“I can confirm that there was a fatal road accident which occurred at the 98km peg along Harare- Masvingo road. A vehicle with three occupants on approaching the kilometre peg veered off the road and hit a tree after one of its tyres burst. The driver lost control of the vehicle. The driver and the two other occupants died on the spot,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said investigations were underway.
He urged drivers to take extra caution when they are on the road to avoid accidents which lead to the destruction of property and loss of life.
“Drivers can avoid speeding for example and exercise extreme caution on the road,” he said.
The trio had been sent by council to repossess a Toyota D4D Double Cab vehicle that was in the possession of former director of engineering services Engineer Robson Manatsa.
Eng Manatsa resigned in July and allegedly went with the vehicle he was using as a condition of service.
However, council is said to have been against the move — a decision that saw the trio being tasked to repossess the vehicle.
GCC spokesperson Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee said: “I can confirm the untimely passing of three of our municipal police officers who died in a road traffic accident around the Featherstone area along Harare-Chivhu road.
“They were on their way to Harare to tow back a council vehicle when the accident happened. We are still in a state of shock. We just heard that they had been involved in a road traffic accident and details are still sketchy.”
She said they were heartbroken by what happened adding that the trio was dedicated to their work.
Council sources said the council vehicle the trio was travelling in burst a right tyre forcing the driver to lose control of the car.
“We hear the front right tyre burst and the vehicle veered off the road, rolled before hitting some trees. The trio died on the spot,” said a council source. The Chronicle
