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Kudakwashe Chidziya Manicaland Correspondent
A haulage truck transporting 30 000 litres of diesel from Beira to the Democratic Republic of Congo overturned along the Christmas Pass in Mutare yesterday morning.

The driver, a Congolese national, was injured and rushed to Mutare General Hospital.

It is suspected that the driver, whose name could not be immediately established, lost control of the vehicle and it overturned.

When The Herald visited the accident scene, diesel was still oozing from the tanker and police had to act swiftly to secure the area.

Mutare City Council acting director of engineering and technical services engineer Tinashe Mutetwa said officials had visited the accident site and were ensuring that the road was not slippery.

“Diesel is very slippery,” he said. “It is risky for vehicles with poor braking systems and worn out tyres.

“As an immediate measure, the City of Mutare will mobilise sand and cover the affected area.”

Eng Mutetwa implored the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to visit the site and make its own assessment.

“There is need for detergents to clean the area covered with diesel, which might damage the road,” he said.

“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, as the responsible authority, has to look into   this.”