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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
MDC-T Matabeleland North provincial chairman Mr Thembinkosi Sibindi died on Saturday night while five other party members sustained serious injuries when a vehicle they were travelling in was involved an accident along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road near Cross Dete.

It is alleged that the vehicle which was being driven by Mr Mhlengi Ndlovu, Mr Sibindi’s driver, overturned after being side-swiped by a haulage truck that was going in the opposite direction.

Mr Sibindi, a businessman who owned a shopping complex at Emaplankeni in Victoria Falls, died at Hwange Colliery Hospital nearly four hours after the accident that took place at around 8PM in Lupote near Cross Dete.

The MDC-T’s Matabeleland North provincial secretary Mr Mxolisi Ndlovu said Mr Sibindi was coming from a party meeting in Insuza when the accident occurred.

“We had a meeting in Insuza, Umguza Constituency, earlier on Saturday and he was going back to Victoria Falls when the accident occurred. He was in the company of five others,” said Mr Ndlovu, who visited the scene yesterday together with other MDC-T provincial members.

Those who were injured include Mr Ndlovu who was driving the vehicle, provincial secretary for elections Mr James Sibanda, secretary for information and publicity who is also councillor for Binga, Themba Mukombwe, provincial women’s secretary Chinyani Chezha, Mrs Francisca Ncube who is provincial youth chairperson and also a councillor for Hwange Rural District Council.

The five were still admitted to Hwange Colliery Hospital yesterday.

Sources said a haulage truck which was going in the opposite direction encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic resulting in the accident near a bridge.

“The driver lost control of the vehicle which overturned and rolled several times. We went to the hospital at night and it’s sad because he died in our presence,” said an MDC-T member.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said he had not received the report yesterday.

— @ncubeleon