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Walter Mswazie and Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporters
FOUR people including the driver died on the spot when a haulage truck they were travelling in veered off the road before ramming into a huge Mopani tree along the Masvingo Beitbridge road yesterday.
The accident occurred at the 139 km peg at around 5.30AM.
Three people who survived the horrific crash told of a harrowing experience as they were trapped for close to an hour in the wreck.
A fire brigade crew from Masvingo City Council had to cut through the wreckage to retrieve the four bodies and rescue the survivors from the South Africa-bound haulage truck.

The three survivors were rushed to Neshuro Hospital and later transferred to Masvingo General Hospital.
One passenger was treated and discharged yesterday.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and warned haulage truck drivers against picking up passengers on the road saying it was illegal.

One of the survivors, Chiedza Musvosvo, a teacher, thanked the fire brigade crew for saving her life, adding that her friend also survived.
“I cannot tell you what exactly happened because I was asleep. I only realised that it was an accident when the truck had rammed into a big Mopani tree. I was trapped within the wreck and I think the load, which was scrap metal, caused the death of the other passengers.” said Musvosvo, who sustained injuries on her legs. She said the police and fire brigade crew arrived about an hour after the crash.
“I thought I would die because the pain in my legs was terrible and the fire brigade seemed to be taking an eternity to reach me,” Musvosvo told Chronicle.

Chief Supt Nyathi expressed concern at the upsurge in accidents involving haulage trucks.
“We are concerned that haulage drivers are carrying passengers when they are not supposed to. This is the fourth accident in 30 days. We will take stern action against the drivers as they are always speeding,” he said.

Chief Supt Nyathi urged owners of the haulage trucks to come up with measures that will prevent their drivers from speeding as lives were being lost unnecessarily.

When Chronicle visited the scene yesterday afternoon, the four bodies were yet to be collected but police later took them to Neshuro Hospital mortuary.

Those who died could not be named as their next of kin are yet to be informed.
In June, 18 people died in a horrific crash when a Mercedes Benz Sprinter collided head on with a South Africa registered Hino truck at the 206km peg along the same road.

A total of 248 road accidents have been recorded in Beitbridge District between January and June this year. Police say most of these accidents occurred between 6PM and 10pm.

The accidents have been attributed to stray animals, speeding, vehicle defects, bad roads and failure to abide by road regulations on the part of some motorists.