19 cheat death in kombi accident

NINETEEN people cheated death on Friday when a Kombi they were travelling was involved in an accident with a South Africa registered Toyota Corolla in Iminyela, Bulawayo.

According to Chronicle, the Corolla rammed the Magwegwe-bound kombi which was carrying 16 passengers at the intersection of Benjamin Burombo and Hyde Park roads at around 10:30AM.

The Corolla had three passengers and only the driver was injured. All the passengers in the kombi, as well as the driver and conductor, were injured.

The injured were taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.

Three passengers suffered serious injuries, but the condition of the rest was not deemed to be life threatening.

The seriously injured passengers were seated on the right side of the commuter omnibus.

A Chronicle news crew visited the scene of the accident and found the right lane leading to the intersection partially closed by the police.

Members of the Bulawayo City Council fire brigade were clearing the area, which was stained by blood.

The now windowless commuter omnibus was toured away.

Chronicle observed that from Benjamin Burombo road into Hyde Park road there is no Give Way sign to control traffic.

Joe Sibanda, a witness, said after being hit in the middle, the commuter omnibus rolled twice before landing on its right side.

In the process all the windows of the commuter omnibus were broken.

"The commuter omnibus was hit in the middle by the Corolla which failed to observe simple traffic rules. The driver of the Corolla was supposed to give way to traffic coming from the right or left, but he didn't resulting in the accident," said Sibanda, an air time vendor.

Obvious Moyo, a passenger in the Corolla, said they were coming from Lupane.

"The driver is my neighbour and we were coming from Lupane going to Magwegwe. At the intersection, he stopped to check if there was any traffic from the left or right but I think he didn't see this commuter omnibus," he said.

"As soon as we were in the right lane I heard a loud bang and the next thing the kombi was rolling. Our car hit a Zesa pole and stopped."

A motorist Bekithemba Khumalo said he was overtaken by the commuter omnibus, just before the accident.

"The commuter omnibus wasn't even speeding because if it was, this would have been a major disaster," he said.