By A Correspondent- The speeding St Charles Lwanga High School driver, whose bus lost brakes, veered off the road and rolled several times before landing over 200 metres down the steep, killing 36 people on the spot on Thursday night, has blamed lack of adequate roadside signage for the calamity.

The accident, which occurred 5km from Jopa turn-off along Chimanimani-Chipinge Road, saw the bus landing on its side after throwing out most of the passengers aboard.

The school bus was hired by ZCC members from Chimanimani East, Tilbury Estate, travelling to Mbungo Shrine for the Easter gathering in Masvingo.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that 36 people died while 71 others sustained various injuries.

“Thirty-six people died on the spot when a St Charles Lwanga High School bus carrying Masvingo-bound ZCC church members was involved in an accident along Chipinge-Chimanimani road, 5km before Jopa turn-off.

Those who were seriously injured were taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital (in Mutare) and others were admitted at Chipinge District Hospital. “The deceased were ferried to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital mortuary,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

However, the driver, Mhlanganisi Khumalo, who is employed elsewhere and is on a part-time job at St Charles Lwanga High School, blamed lack of adequate signage along the road for the accident.

Khumalo, who was actually on his third trip with the bus, said he thought he would get to a different terrain after the steep gradient, only to helplessly watch as the bus veered off the road after losing brakes.

“I lost brakes along the curves to the extent that I tried to go past the curve thinking that I would find better terrain so that I could reduce speed only to find out that we were still on a steep gradient.