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By Judith Matanire
Eight people died on the spot in a gruesome road traffic accident along the Mutare-Masvingo Road early Thursday morning, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed.
The crash occurred near the 246-kilometre peg, close to Mutendi Complex, at around 2:00 AM. A Dragon bus carrying 20 passengers from Beitbridge to Mutare attempted to overtake a timber-laden haulage truck when the incident unfolded.
ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the bus driver tried to overtake despite an oncoming vehicle, forcing him to swerve back into his lane. The bus sideswiped the truck, causing timber logs to pierce the vehicle.
“Eight people, including the driver, died instantly, while four others sustained injuries and were rushed to Masvingo General Hospital,” Nyathi said. The bodies of the deceased were also taken to Masvingo General Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Nyathi urged motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly when overtaking, to prevent further tragedies.
This comes days after a Toyota Fortuner GD6 accident at the 46-kilometre peg along the same highway claimed six lives, two of whom succumbed to injuries at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.
“It is concerning that overtaking errors continue to be a leading cause of road accidents in the country,” Nyathi added.
