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Walter Mswazie Masvingo correspondent
TWO people died while eight were seriously injured when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in veered off the road and hit a tree along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.

The accident occurred at the 160km peg at around 3AM yesterday.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said the bodies were taken to Neshuro Hospital mortuary while the injured were rushed to Rutenga Clinic where their condition remains critical.

She said the commuter omnibus was travelling towards Masvingo with 14 passengers on board.

The deceased have been identified as Current Madanha, 24, of Madanha Village under Chief Neshuro in Mwenezi and Esther Chauke, 35, of Mashelemu Village under Chief Chitanga area in Mwenezi.

“I can confirm that a PSV Mazda Bongo kombi was involved in an accident at dawn today which claimed two lives. The vehicle was being driven by Madanha who died on the spot while chauke died on the way to hospital.

“At the 160km peg Madanha lost control of the vehicle and it veered off the road to the right before hitting a tree,” said Insp Mazula.

An official from the Traffic Safety Council in Zimbabwe (TFCZ) on traffic awareness campaign along the same road said the driver could have fallen asleep given the time and high temperatures.

“It’s possible the driver, whose driver’s licence was not located, could’ve fallen asleep and lost control of the vehicle. We had to rush to the scene and managed to rescue the injured passengers but one passenger, a woman, died on her way to hospital,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

The accident follows another, which occurred along the Rutenga-Masvingo Road last Friday.

A commuter omnibus collided with a Munenzwa bus and seven people died on the spot.