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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

SATURDAY the 16th will for a very long time be a day most Zimbabweans who boarded the City Bus and the Blue Circle want to quickly forget following a horrific crash that killed nine people injuring 39 others, seven critically.

The incident occurred at around 1 am after the City Bus hit a donkey and swerved to the right lane resulting in the collision near Tshamunanga village some 12km north of Beitbridge town along the road leading to Masvingo.

According to the police seven people died on the spot while two more died at the hospital upon admission.

Seven victims in critical condition have been taken to Bulawayo for further attention, while six are still admitted at Beitbridge district hospital and are in a stable condition.

The rest of the injured were treated and discharged.

In separate interviews, some of those still hospitalised had horrific tales to share.

“There were limbs all over, my body was covered in blood and I could not tell how I found myself under dead bodies,” said I was seated five seats behind the driver,” said Mr Silas Gundura of Gweru.

“I woke up amongst the dead bodies. I don’t know how it happened. The first thing I did was to check if I still had my wallet and phone. My head was covered in blood.

Soon after getting the phone and in a state of shock, I called my wife and told her I had been injured and I can’t remember where I had been travelling to. She then jogged my mind that I was heading to Musina in South Africa”.

He continued; “For a moment I lost my memory and started feeling the pain all over my body at a later stage. When the impact occurred I was asleep and had I died it would have been a peaceful death”.

Mr Gundura said he became terrified when he realised he had woken up under some dead bodies and on seeing the rescuers picking some limbs.

He said he suddenly fell asleep after telling one of the bus crew members that he was ready to drop off at Engen Service station some 2km before the Beitbridge Border Post.

As of yesterday, Mr Gundura said he had started showing signs of recovery.

For Mr Sifelani Siziba of Checheche, his family was for a moment plunged into mourning soon after hearing about the crash.

“We were going to bury my brother in Checheche who had died in South Africa, so I decided to board a bus since the vehicle carrying the body of my brother was full,” he said.

“So when my relatives heard about the accident they started mourning thinking I had died. Fortunately, I was saved by emergency workers. They were very gentle and swift.My relatives calmed down after locating me alive at the hospital”.

Mr Siziba said he broke his left arm and leg after trying to cling on a seat in front of him during the impact when the City Bus hit a donkey.

He said he felt numb when he realised that two people he had been sharing a seat with had died.

Ms Lilian Mutema of Chegutu said she was deep asleep when the impact occurred.

“I heard a huge sound and I found myself sleeping facing down. I was gripped in fear and started feeling cold. I then took a jacket belonging to a police officer who had taken it off to rescue the injured from the wreckage,” she said.

“I became very terrified when I realised the person who had been sitting just next to me had died. In fact , I could smell death.

“This is a very unfortunate incident, but however, I am recovering but the smell of death was too much for me, maybe I will heal with time”.

Mrs Dadirai Kan’ono said she woke up covered in glass debris lying face down following the crash.

She escaped with minor body laceration but emotionally, she says she is still broken.

For Mrs Pepiyullar Mataka of Chegutu she got confused after failing to locate her baby which is under two years at the scene.

“When everything happened, I was asleep and upon realising we had been involved in an accident, I felt a sharp pain since I could not see my child,” she said.

“After staggering for a few moments and in shock I saw my child with rescue workers and noticed the baby had not been harmed.

I was relieved but at the same time started feeling pain on the right side of my body since my arm and leg had dislocated. I am better now the medical team has fixed the problem”.

Beitbridge District Medical Officer Dr Lenos Samhere said yesterday that those hospitalised were now stable and could be discharged anytime soon.

Blue Circle Director, Mr Roy Gonyora said the company will offer compassionate assistance to the injured and the grieving families.

During a visit to the hospital and accident scene yesterday, Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said the government will pay the medical bills of the injured and facilitate the burial of the nine who died during the crash. X @tupeyo