Gwanda Road Accident: HOW IT ALL HAPPENED
9 March 2017
Good morning Editor.
I have been catching up on your report on the accident overnight on the Gwanda road.
I live nearby the scene and heard the accident happen just before going to bed. There were three loud bangs and my bed-frame shuddered on the shock. I knew immediately that a notoriously massive pothole that lies in the middle of the bridge on the main Gwanda highway had finally claimed a victim.
The vehicle that hit the pothole must have been going at a great speed owing to the severity of the impact.
Police sirens were heard within half an hour I estimate.
We have for days been commenting on this pothole – we went to town on Tuesday and hit the pothole as it was submerged by water. Our vehicle came to a complete standstill, it is massive!
We tried calling the Bulawayo City Council on Wednesday to notify them of the dangers here as the bridge itself is liable to collapse owing to its deteriorating state. However, we were unable to get in touch with anyone at BCC with a phone call. Their switch board is not working.
Maintenance on this important highway into Bulawayo appears to have come to a standstill and unfortunately we can expect many more such incidents as unwary drivers hit these potholes on this stretch of road – particularly if members of the public are unable to communicate such significant issues with Council.
Regards
Where are the monies being collected on toll gates going if they can’t pay attention to such hazards?
If the police had mounted a road block near the pothole to warn motorists about this hazard (as well as collecting theirs usual toll fees) lives could have been saved.
Public communicating what issues ? You mean to tell us that the people responsible, (powers that be), do not know about the state of our roads? Where are they staying? Leaving in Mars?