Police have identified eight of the 21 charred remains of passengers burnt beyond recognition following a horrific accident involving a South Africa-bound Proliner bus that was sideswiped by a haulage truck and caught fire in Mvuma last Wednesday.
Police have also deployed heavily to curb road carnage and ensure that peace prevails during the Easter and Independence holidays
In a statement yesterday, police chief spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the eight who were identified were four males and four females. However, their names could not be made available.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to inform the nation that eight bodies of the people who perished in the fatal accident that occurred at the 218 km peg along Harare-Masvingo Road on 5 April 2017, have since been identified by gender as four females and four males.
“On 8 April 2017 police also recovered the remains of a suspected infant at the scene of the accident,” she said.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said to date 19 families have reported at Gweru General Hospital in search of their relatives and have undergone the DNA tests.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is still appealing to members of the public who suspect that their relatives might have perished in this road accident to come forward for the DNA testing process at Gweru General Hospital as 13 other bodies are yet to be identified,” she said.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba appealed to motorists to value human lives and drive safely during this holiday.
“Police officers will be deployed in all the country’s major highways so as to curb speeding, overloading and other accident contributing factors. Police will check for traffic violations, stolen motor vehicles, drug traffickers, cattle rustlers and moving criminals,” she said.
She urged motorists to cooperate with police officers when stopped at roadblocks in order to avoid inconveniences.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said drivers should observe road rules and regulations and ensure that their motor vehicles are roadworthy.
“Members of the public are urged to carry identity particulars when travelling. As we get into Easter and Independence Day holidays, property owners are urged to leave their premises under guard if they intend to travel.
“Parents and guardians are also being advised to make sure they leave their children, especially the girl child in the custody of mature and responsible people, if they are not travelling with them,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.
She appealed to members of the public to report drivers who speed and flout road rules on Police General Headquarters number (04) 703631 or at any nearest police station so as to safeguard lives.
“Let us strive to prevent crime during the holidays and also drive to arrive alive.
“Police will ensure that criminals are accounted for whilst at the same time there is order and sanity on the roads,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) in conjunction with the ZRP have since deployed 17 teams on the country’s roads, to carry out road safety awareness campaigns during the Easter holidays. The teams commenced the campaigns yesterday and will run up until Tuesday.
TSCZ spokesperson Mr Ernest Muchena confirmed and urged motorists to be patient and to cooperate with police at roadblocks.
At least 220 people have been killed in 1 850 road traffic accidents that occurred during Easter holidays in the past six years, while 1 447 were injured. – State Media
We seem to be overlooking the main cause of the current unacceptable level of our road carnage and concentrating on barking the wrong tree.
The main cause of traffic accidents currently is the state of our roads and in particular Pot Holes.
You can deploy all the police road blocks but achieve very little in preventing the road carnage. At times over deploying these road blocks worsens the situation.
Pot Holes result in drivers losing control of their vehicles causing accidents. The recent Bulawayo Beitbridge carnage near NUST is testimony to this.
Pot Holes cause damaged to Tyres, Ball joints, Shock absorbers, Steering racks, CV joints etc etc resulting in Unroadworthy vehicles which are prone to accidents. This is despite the fact that the owners will have invested their hard earned cash in paying these items. It should be noted that the vehicle owners will also have invested their hard earned cash in ZINARA who are supposed to maintain pot hole free roads.
Excessive Police Road Blocks not only cause unnecessary delays in travelling but also result in frustration to the drivers which is another recipe for Accidents.
Police usually concentrate on trivial issues which have no bearing on road safety. Demand cash Spot fines from the drivers who cannot access their cash from banks despite spending countless hours and days queuing at the banks. Punish motorists with temporary detentions at road blocks for failure to carry cash resulting in further unnecessary delays and frustrations this increasing the probability of accidents.
Radio licences, Triangles, Fire Extinguishers, Shevron reflector stickers (on vehicles with better factory inbuilt reflectors) have no bearing on road safety. In major accidents like the NUST and recent Mvuma carnages these items were burnt to ashes and their presence or absence were of no consequence.