(Looking Back) -21 killed in Gwai River as African bus plunges off bridge

The Rhodesia Herald,  December 13, 1969
TWENTY-FIVE people, including several children, died and 40 were injured, most of them seriously, when an African bus plunged off the Gwai River Bridge and fell 100 feet into the river early this afternoon.

The injured were taken by bus and helicopter to Wankie Hospital.

The accident took place after about four miles from Kamativi Mine while the bus was on a routine passenger run between Dett and Binga.

As it was taking a rise after having crossed the bridge, it began to roll backwards, said a police spokesman.

It hit the bridge parapet and plunged end first into the river, falling into 20 feet of water. The nose of the bus caught on a rock. The driver, understood to be Mr Chigubu, managed to crawl out to reach the bank.

The police spokesman said the driver ran towards Kamativi, flagged a passing car and got a lift to the mine, where he reported the accident.

Within half an hour, a group of police details, Europeans and Africans, and mine personnel were on the scene and had begun rescue operations. Inside an hour, a helicopter arrived from Wankie. The bus was carrying about 59 adult Africans and a number of schoolchildren. When the rescue team arrived, some of the passengers had climbed on to the nose of the bus, and were clinging there. A strong current was running, and the river was full, though not in flood. Several rescuers dived into the river and swam to the bus. Others swam to where some of the passengers were struggling in the river, and brought them to safety. Several bodies were hauled from the river as well as from the bus.

Police said tonight that four or five passengers were still missing. It was believed they had been washed down the river. A boat was brought to the scene. Members of Kamativi Clinic gave first aid to the injured on the spot.

They were later moved to Wankie Hospital by bus and by helicopter.

Tragic sight

The dead were laid out under blankets on the bank. A police spokesman said it was not yet known how many of the dead and injured were children.

Rescue work began soon after 2pm and continued until dark.

Acetylene torches were used to release the last bodies from the bus.

At 10pm, doctors at Wankie Hospital were still at work in the operating theatre, attending to the injured.

About one third of the passengers on the bus were Kamativi Mine workers and their families, the police spokesman said. A Dett resident who heard of the accident and drove to the scene with a friend to offer assistance said: “There were plenty of helpers. We weren’t needed. But it was a most awesome and tragic sight.”

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Road traffic accidents have claimed thousands of lives and maimed many since time immemorial, with statistics continuing to rise, especially during holidays like Easter, Heroes holidays, and Christmas and New Year holidays. How can national accidents be averted?

Many families also continue to die due to poor travel arrangements that might seem economical.

The quick and/or slow responses rendered at each accident scene are learning experiences in effectively managing road traffic accidents, until there is zero tolerance on accidents is accomplished.

Nothing is cast in stone, including historical events. “African buses” are just buses or passenger transportation. And, some names in this story might not sound Zimbabwean, for example Dett, which is now present day Dete and Wankie, which was renamed Hwange. Since Independence, there have been notable name changes of cities, towns, provinces, districts, buildings, roads, etc.

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