Victoria Falls villagers on Saturday had a CAG Travellers bus accident to thank as they took several tonnes of free meat from the carcasses of three elephants that were killed in the accident.
A CAG Travellers bus travelling to Victoria Falls rammed into a herd of elephants, killing three of the animals on the spot.
The accident occurred about 35km outside Victoria Falls, just after 5 AM on Saturday near Mbizha turn off along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road.
The bus suffered extensive damage but all 18 passengers and the bus crew were not injured.
Passengers were switched to another bus and proceeded with their journey.
Villagers from nearby Masikili and Mbizha villages, as well as some from as far as Lupinyu (about 20km away), some from Victoria Falls City, Chikandakubi and Chenamisa gathered at the accident scene to get a share of the meat.
According to The Sunday News, some of the villagers came on bicycles, cars and scotch carts while some boarded public transport from Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers and police officers were on the scene monitoring the situation.
The bus driver, Daniel Mapfumo, said he could not avoid hitting the jumbos because they appeared “suddenly” in the middle of the road. He said:
I suddenly saw the elephants and applied breaks while swerving to the left.
There were three groups so as I avoided the first, I saw another herd ahead.
The three were in the middle of the road and suddenly they turned at once, giving their back to the bus and they were hit at once.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF Hwange District Coordinating Committee chair Matthew Muleya urged drivers to be careful when driving along the Victoria Falls-Bulawayo road. He said:
Animals cross from the national park to communities so drivers should be cautious so that we save lives.
These buses travel at night and we urge them not to speed on this road.