Speeding commuter omnibus knocks down boy (4)

A Grade 4 pupil died on Wednesday from wounds sustained after she was attacked by two vicious dogs in a low density suburb of Beitbridge.

The girl was mauled while coming from school at around 4pm.

"She was taken to hospital and admitted in the intensive care unit where she died this morning. The matter was reported to police," said a source close to the case.

The deceased's name is yet to be established.

The police officer commanding Beitbridge Chief Superintendent Francis Phiri said the matter was under investigation.

"I cannot give you any further details at the moment and currently the owner of the dogs is assisting us with investigations," he said.

The Chronicle is reliably informed that prior to the attack on the now deceased; the two boerboels had attacked another minor tearing his clothes.

According to neighbours, the dogs strayed from their yard when the gate was left open.

"We were sitting near an EcoCash shop when the dogs aggressively charged at us, but we remained seated still.

"They then pounced on a boy who was passing by and tore his clothes. At that time the girl appeared, walking towards the dogs.

"I warned her about the imminent danger and she tried to run away but the dogs chased her. They pounced on her and dragged her to their house," said a witness who cannot be named because of her age.

The juvenile said she alerted adults at the nearest house, who had to use a car to scare the dogs away.

The Good Samaritans took the wounded girl to the hospital.

The two dogs were later gunned down by veterinary officers.

Beitbridge's district veterinarian Dr Mike Nare could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, a four-year-old boy died on the spot after he was hit by a commuter omnibus while crossing the road in Emganwini suburb on Thursday.

Tymon Munyuku was knocked down after the kombi driver failed to apply brakes as he was speeding, witnesses said.

The boy's father, Mr Amon Munyuku, said his son had disembarked from a vehicle that transports him to and from school and was crossing the road to where he was waiting for him.

He bemoaned the tragic death of his son, saying it was traumatising to see his son die in front of him.

"I was driving from work and I saw the car that Tymon boards to pre-school, so I stopped the driver so that I could take my son home. I think he got too excited to see me and rushed out of the car. When I saw the kombi approaching, I tried stopping him from crossing but he didn't hear me and the kombi driver was speeding such that he could not apply emergency brakes," he said.

"Tymon was thrust beneath the kombi. When the ambulance arrived he was already dead. Sadly the driver of the kombi is someone I know from the neighbourhood. It was distressing to see my son lie there without being able to help him."

Mr Munyuku said his son's body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals.

Bulawayo police provincial spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident.

She said the matter is under police investigations and the commuter omnibus was taken to the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) depot.

Insp Simango urged drivers to be cautious on the roads.