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Crime Reporter 

EIGHT people died while 14 others were injured in separate road traffic accidents which occurred in Harare and Bulawayo yesterday morning.

The Bulawayo accident involved a commuter omnibus which collided with a haulage truck and claimed the lives of six people, while the other one in Harare involved a Honda Fit which rammed into a train along Chiremba Road near OK Mart in Hillside. 

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accidents.

“The ZRP confirms a fatal road traffic accident which occurred at the intersection of Masiyephambili and Khami Road in Bulawayo today (yesterday) at 5am hours where six people died while 11 others were injured.

“A non-Zupco Toyota Hiace Kombi with 17 occupants went through a red robot and rammed into a moving truck before it was trapped between the horse and trailer and dragged for about 30 metres,” he said.

Police then notified motorists that Chiremba Road was blocked at the railway level crossing following the fatal road traffic accident.

“Two people have since died and police are (were) currently working with other emergency service providers to bring the situation back to normal. The ZRP appeals to all motorists who use Chiremba Road to connect to Robert Mugabe Road to find alternative routes,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

The names of the deceased will be released once their next of kin have been advised. Six more people were also injured on Sunday after a Harare Polytechnic bus they were travelling in veered off the road and overturned at the 374km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road in Mbembesi.

Asst Comm Nyathi said the bus was heading towards Bulawayo when the driver lost control and veered off the road.

The bus had 21 passengers who were all going to attend the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) from Harare.