By Mako Jerera
Two people lost their lives instantly, and 35 others sustained serious injuries in a head-on collision involving two commuter omnibuses at the intersection of Seke and St Patrick’s Roads in Harare yesterday morning.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the fatal accident, stating, “I can confirm that two people died on the spot.”
Nobert Chiwetu, a Hatfield resident living just 200 meters from the crash site, emphasized the need for traffic lights at the intersection to improve traffic control. “We witnessed another accident at the same location on Friday evening, where several people were injured. Installing traffic lights could help reduce speed and prevent further loss of life,” said Mr. Chiwetu.
Another local resident, Talkmore Zimbudzi, urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads. “Life is precious, and we cannot continue losing innocent lives due to negligence. We need to be responsible drivers,” he said.
However, the situation escalated when a photographer from The Herald, who was covering the accident, was assaulted by some overzealous police officers while performing his duties.
Eyewitnesses at the scene claimed that the accident was caused by a police officer driving one of the commuter omnibuses, who reportedly veered into the wrong lane, resulting in the collision. “One of the commuter omnibuses involved in the head-on collision was being driven by a police officer,” said a Hatfield resident.
Tafadzwa Jacobs, a transporter who frequently uses Seke Road, highlighted the need for speed humps to curb speeding. “Speed is the primary factor in most accidents along Seke Road. Installing speed humps could help reduce this risk,” he said.
Many of the accidents reported during the Heroes and Defence Forces Day holidays were attributed to speeding, inattention, misjudgment, overtaking errors, and the failure of drivers to observe road rules and regulations.
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