By Rex Mphisa
ABOUT nine passengers abode a local bus Rider Bus Company trading as Sekuru Ndife were injured when their bus left the road and hung on the railings in a futile attempt to overtake on the wrong side on Monday evening.
Of these four were treated and discharged whilst five were admitted.
According to a police press release, the driver identified as Makhakhavhule Dube, at around 7pm on Monday was driving a Yutong bus registration number AFZ 1016 along Masvingo-Beitbridge road due east heading to Lutumba Business Centre with 20 passengers on board.
“Upon reaching 276 km peg on the said road, Dube tried to overtake two vehicles using left side of the road at a bridge. The two vehicles were towing each other travelling in the same direction with the first party. During the process of overtaking the first party misjudged and rammed into concrete pillars of the bridge and the vehicle stopped at the centre of the bridge with left wheels on top of the pillars of the bridge. Four concrete pillars of the bridge were dismantled and due to the impact 9 passengers were injured,” said Matabeleland South Police spokesman C Dube.
A report was made at ZRP Beitbridge traffic who attended the scene and the injured were rushed to Beitbridge District Hospital for medical attention where four were treated and discharged whilst five were admitted.
The driver of the bus could not be located as he escaped after the accident.
“Drivers should avoid over speeding and overtaking in situations which are not safe to do so. Above all drivers should adhere to all rules and regulations in order to curb the continuous loss of lives through road traffic accidents. As police we would like to appeal to members of the public with information on the whereabouts of the driver to notify the nearest police station,” Dube said.
On Tuesday Beitbridge Rural District Council Chairman Oscar Chiromo visited the injured and paid for those admitted to have scans done to assess any internal injuries.