The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has established that the driver of the Tynwald High School bus that was involved in a fatal accident in Juliusdale, Nyanga on Friday night was speeding and failed to negotiate a sharp curve.
Six pupils, five female and one male, died from head injuries after the bus overturned and landed on its roof near Pine Tree Hotel at the 75km peg along the Rusape-Nyanga Road.
According to a leaked internal police memorandum, the driver, Chamunorwa Machimbidzofa (43), was yet to produce his driver’s licence to ascertain whether he was certified to have been behind the wheel.
According to the memo, circumstances were that on October 14, 2022, at around 7 pm, Machimbidzofa was driving a blue and white Higer bus belonging to Tynwald High School along Rusape-Nyanga road with 41 students and four staff members on board. It reads:
Upon reaching the 75-kilometre peg on the said road at a sharp curve, the sole party failed to negotiate a curve, veered off the road to the left and rolled several times on a steep slope.
In the process threw out some passengers, injuring 34 of them and killing five on the spot the bus landed on its roof.
The injured passengers were ferried to Nyanga District Hospital and one died upon arrival at the hospital and Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, where they were admitted.
A report was made to police Nyanga Traffic who attended the scene. Next of kin were advised.
The vehicle sustained extensive damages and is at the scene awaiting VID inspection. Investigations are in progress.
The dead are; Anesuishe Hove (14) of Bluffhill in Harare; Beyonce Guyo (15) of Madokero, Harare; Anita Manyuka (16) of Tynwald Harare; Destiny Dziva (14) of Avondale Harare; Kimberly Tarisai Mutusva (15) of Chitepo Heights, Harare and Craig Madanhire (age unknown), a male juvenile.
Police said Beyonce, Anita, Destiny, Kimberly and Craig died on the spot, while Anesuishe died upon admission at Nyanga District Hospital. | NewZimbabwe.com