BY BRENNA MATENDERE
A ZIMBABWE Urban Passengers Company (Zupco) commuter omnibus yesterday overturned in Silobela and killed two people on the spot, while over a dozen were seriously injured. The injured and deceased were ferried to Silobela District Hospital at Loreto Mission.
Silobela legislator Mtokozisi Manoki Mpofu confirmed the accident.
“I can confirm that two people were left dead yesterday when a Zupco kombi overturned just after Khoza Shopping Centre along the Silobela-Nkayi Road. The kombi was coming from Kwekwe going to Donsa Business Centre. I am told the Zupco kombi was overloaded and it also had excess luggage — groceries,” Mpofu said.
“It is a sad day for Silobela and I pass my condolences to the families of the deceased and wish speedy recovery to those injured,” he said.
According to a witness, the Zupco commuter omnibus was racing with another one which was behind so as to arrive at Crossroads Business Centre first.
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“The Zupco commuter omnibus and another one which also belongs to Zupco were in a kind of a race and were speeding. When they passed the Khoza Centre, the one which overturned burst its rear tyre and rolled. It was a sad scene because most people lied lifeless on the ground after the accident and were later attended to by police,” Nonhlanhla Ndebele said.
The incident happened barely two days after another Zupco bus killed seven people on the spot in Kwekwe while another passenger died the following day to bring the death toll to eight.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi referred Southern Eye to Midlands provincial spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko.
Goko said he was yet to get a full briefing on the accident by law enforcement agents in Silobela.
“Currently I am in Bulawayo where we are preparing for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. I have, therefore, not got hold of the full details of the accident for me to give a conclusive comment,” he said, referring further questions to his deputy Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende.
Mukwende said she was in a lecture at Midlands State University.