17 injured in head-on crash near Bulawayo

Itai Mazire

Seventeen people were injured Monday morning in a head-on collision along the Harare-Bulawayo road after a driver encroached into oncoming traffic while overtaking at excessive speed, police said.

Shepherd Makwari, 40, of Duncan Suburbs, was driving a Mazda Tribute eastbound with one passenger when he “encroached on the incoming lane and had a head on collision with a Toyota Hiace” carrying 17 passengers plus its driver, Provincial Spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele.

The Toyota Hiace was travelling in the opposite direction.

All 18 occupants of the minibus  including its 26-year-old driver from Cowdray Park  sustained serious injuries and were taken to Mpilo Hospital.

“The cause of accident was due to excessive speed and overtaking error by the Mazda tribute driver,” said Inspector Msebele adding that a charge of negligent driving is being preferred against Makwari.

Police urged motorists to avoid overspeeding, obey speed limits, and “always exercise extreme caution when overtaking on the roads.”