By A Correspondent
In a shocking and controversial attempt to downplay the tragic crane accident at Trabablas Interchange in Harare, Zanu PF youth league leader Taurai Kandishaya on Monday sought to justify the deadly incident, which left one person dead. The crane collapse, which occurred during a de-erection operation, has raised serious concerns about safety standards in the construction sector.
Kandishaya’s response was a mix of comparisons to international incidents and a call for better safety practices. “In America, an average of 44 people die per year from crane accidents,” he stated, attempting to provide context for the Harare tragedy. He went on to reference several past crane accidents to further substantiate his argument:
“In 1999, at the New Millennium Tower in Harare, 15 people died due to a crane accident.”
“In 2016, one person lost their life at Tokwe Mukosi in a crane incident.”
“On August 3, 2015, two cranes collapsed while restoring a bridge in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands, resulting in fatalities.”
“In December 2023, an all-terrain crane overturned at a construction site in Blanchardstown, Dubai.”
“In May 2024, a crane crash was reported in Rostock, Germany.”
“There was also a crane collapse in Edinburgh, killing people,” Kandishaya added, before turning his attention to the recent accident in Harare. “At Trabablas Interchange in Harare, Zimbabwe, a crane accident claimed one life.”
While Kandishaya acknowledged the tragic loss of life, he suggested that such incidents are not isolated to Zimbabwe, emphasizing that crane accidents happen globally. He called for companies to take greater responsibility by enhancing safety measures in their operations.
“There is need for companies to increase safety precautions when cranes are employed,” Kandishaya said. “These precautions will reduce the high risk of crane accidents.”
His attempt to shift blame away from local safety practices has been met with criticism, as many argue that the real issue lies in improving safety standards in Zimbabwe to prevent future tragedies.