Source: 22 Feared Dead in Horrific Truck Accident| BREAKING NEWS | ZimEye
By Paul Nyathi | At least 22 people, all casual employees under the Ministry of Health’s Malaria Control Program, are feared dead after a truck they were travelling in overturned.
The accident happened at Jimila village 35 kilometres out of Tsholotsho Centre in Matabeleland North province.
According to sources, the speeding driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve on the very poor road and lost control of the over the loaded truck.
The truck was carrying over 50 people who were going to spray mosquitos at the malaria prone area under the donor sponsored program on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
13 died on the spot while the others died at Tsholotsho District Hospital. About 15 more were rushed to Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo where they are reported to be in a critical condition while a few were treated for minor injuries and also shock at Tsholotsho Hospital and some thereafter discharged.
Eye witnesses told ZimEye.com the truck was earlier on spotted travelling at a very high speed on the very poor road with the passengers at the back of the truck said to have been been cheering the driver on.
The Bulawayo to Tsholotsho road has been the cry of many people in the area as the strip road has turned into a death trap.
A known political activist in the area Mthokozisi Mathe, told ZimEye.com that they have been complaining to the responsible authorities on the road over the last decade but their complaints have been falling on deaf ears.
“We have been heavily advocating for the resurfacing of this road for more than ten years but nothing ever happens,” he said.
Mathe said that what is shocking is that Provincial Minister Cain Mathema uses the same road everyday but he ignores it despite the many accidents he meets up on the road daily.
“Minister Mathema who works in Bulawayo and stays in Tsholotsho travels on this road everyday and he meets up with accidents on the road daily but does nothing about it,” he said.
“Perhaps this is what he was waiting for,” said the visibly angry self confessed opposition Mthwakazi Republic Party member. -ZimEye
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