By- A spate of road accidents involving school children has claimed nine lives and left 32 others injured in the past week.

On Friday, a Nissan Caravan carrying 30 pupils veered off the road and overturned three times near the 26-kilometre peg along Juliasdale-Nyanga Road, killing four and injuring 11.

The victims were taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for post-mortem and treatment respectively.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident in a statement.

“The ZRP confirms a fatal road traffic accident which occurred on June 2, 2023 at the 26-kilometre peg along Juliasdale-Nyanga Road in which four people were killed whilst 11 others were injured,” Nyathi said.

“A Nissan Caravan travelling towards Watsomba with 30 school pupils on board veered off the road and overturned three times before landing on its left side. The victims’ bodies were taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital mortuary for post-mortem whilst the injured are admitted at the same hospital,” he added.

This came just two days after another fatal crash involving a Mazda T35 truck and an Inter Africa Zhongtong bus along the Harare-Masvingo Road.

The truck, which had 22 pupils on board, was hit on the driver’s door by the bus and it veered off the road, throwing out all the pupils.

One pupil died on the spot while three others succumbed to their injuries at Beatrice Hospital.

The remaining 18 were also admitted at the same hospital.

The bus had 59 passengers on board but none of them were injured.

Police are investigating the causes of both accidents and urged drivers to exercise caution on the roads.