11 killed in Zhombe accident

Source: 11 killed in Zhombe accident | The Herald May 8, 2017

Midlands Correspondent
At least 11 people died, while several others were seriously injured when a Toyota Hiace commuter omnibus they were travelling in collided head-on with a haulage truck near Summerview Shopping Centre in Zhombe along the Gokwe-Kwekwe highway on Friday night.

The accident occurred at around 7pm when the Gokwe-bound commuter omnibus, which had approximately 18 people on board, collided head-on with the truck that was driving towards Kwekwe.

According to passengers, the haulage truck first side-swiped an ox-drawn cart which had three people on board and swerved to the right, encroaching into the right lane, resulting in the head-on collision.

Zhombe legislator Engineer Daniel McKenzie Ncube confirmed the accident, saying that eight people died on the spot as a result of the collision, while the injured passengers were rushed to Kwekwe General Hospital.

“The last time I checked, eight people had died but they were still counting,” he said.

A survivor, Mr Kenny Magoronga, who was travelling in the commuter omnibus, said after the haulage truck side-swiped the scotchcart, killing all the three people aboard, it swerved to the right, resulting in the collision.

“I am one of the passengers who were injured in the accident,” he said. “Eleven people died in the accident from the last time I heard.”

Police Officer Commanding Midlands Senior Assistant Inspector Abigail Moyo said she was yet to get full details of the accident.

“I was not in the office for the past few days because I am off-duty,” she said. “However, I was told of the accident, but I do not have enough details.”