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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Nine Zimbabweans died in accident early today when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in rammed a Zambian haulage truck near Naboomspruit along the N1 highway in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said the accident occurred at around 01:15 hours.

“Preliminary investigations are that the Zambia truck was stuck on the N1 Highway some 15km south of Naboomspruit. Part of the truck was on the emergency lane while the other part was on the slow lane.

“A kombi travelling from Musina with 10 passengers collided with the truck from behind resulting in both vehicles catching fire” said Col Otto.

She said the driver of the commuter omnibus died on the scene along with eight other passengers while two others escaped with injuries.

The bodies are currently being kept at  Naboomspruit government mortuary for identification purposes. One of the injured has already been released after receiving medical treatment. The other person is still hospitalised.

Indications are that the kombi was travelling from Bulawayo though police are yet to confirm.

Col Otto said the truck driver and his passenger were not injured adding that they had since charged the Zambian truck driver with culpable homicide and will appear in the Naboomspruit Magistrates Court tomorrow.

The accident comes shortly after seven other Zimbabweans were killed when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in collided with a haulage truck some two kilometres from Beitbridge border post along the N1 highway.

More details to follow…