John Ndlovu
AT least fourteen passengers were injured in a head on collision along the intersection of 12th Avenue and Hebert Chitepo, Bulawayo on Monday afternoon.
According to reports by the Bulawayo Provincial Police Assistant Inspector for the Press and Public Relations Office Nomalanga Msebele the accident occurred due to carelessness by one Toyota Hiace commuter omnibus driver who was over-speeding and failed to adhere to the stop sign and got into the road without checking and hit another commuter omnibus which was moving due south along Herbert Chitepp street which had 18 passengers on board and landed on it’s roof thereby injuring 14 passengers.
“A driver who was driving a commuter omnibus along 12th Avenue due west with one passenger on board failed to obey a stop sign and got into the road without checking and hit the other party a commuter omnibus which was moving along Herbet Chitepo Street due south with 18 passengers on board. As a result of the impact, the other party’s vehicle overturned once and landed on it’s roof.”Assistant Insp Msebele said
Assistant Insp Msebele further revealed that 14 people were injured from the second party’s vehicle , 11 of them were ferried to Mpilo Hospital whilst the other trio were ferried to United Bulawayo Hospitals for treatment.
“As a result of the accident 14 people were injured from the second party’s vehicle. 11 injured people were ferried to Mpilo Hospital whilst 3 others were ferried to United Bulawayo Hospitals for treatment.” Assistant Insp Msebele added
Assistant Inspector Msebele also urged all drivers to be cautious when driving and adhere to all road rules whenever driving.
However on the hand eyewitnesses of the incident contradicted the ZRP statement as they stated that the driver of the Toyota Hiace was running away from the police which caused him to loose control and ram onto the oncoming commuter omnibus which then rolled over and landed on it’s roof.
The ZRP response team arrived at the scene an hour after the accident had occurred but are a stone throw away from the scene.