Tsholotsho crash effects go beyond injuries, death
ON Saturday, a Nyamandlovu man was supposed to wed his sweetheart.
However, it is now a matter of a day that is so near yet so far for a woman who was his wife-to-be.
Mlungisi Ndlovu (37) of Acute and Cruise village, under Chief Deli in Nyamandlovu was among 15 people who died on the spot when the driver of a truck they were travelling in failed to negotiate a curve at the 35KM peg along the Tsholotsho-Sipepa Road near Jimila Centre on December 2 resulting in the vehicle overturning.
Six others died upon admission to Tsholotsho District Hospital, while two others passed on last weekend at Mpilo Central Hospital.
The accident victims were among 69 people who were coming from Nkayi to Tsholotsho to undertake an anti-malaria spraying exercise in Matabeleland North province. Ndlovu died exactly three weeks before his wedding to Dumoluhle Mkhwananzi (24), also of Nyamandlovu.
Their pastor Mxolisi Maphosa, of the Seventh Day Adventist church said the couple was almost through with guidance and counselling lessons at the time of Ndlovu’s death.
“The bride was so heartbroken to lose her partner when they were almost ready to wed, with everything in place. We have lost a life, but we are also worried about the surviving partner to pull through this phase,” he said.
“It is sad to note that the SDA church in Bulawayo and Nyamandlovu lost four dedicated congregants and youthful people. We pray the Lord guides them through and they rest in peace. This was a very difficult situation where we buried one victim after the other.”
Mlungisi and Dumoluhle are not the only lovers who were hit by the accident before their wedding day.
A young woman who is due to wed early next year, was lucky to survive although she sustained serious facial injuries.
Nobukhosi Mpofu (26) told the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa from her hospital bed at Mpilo Central Hospital two weeks ago that she just wants to heal before her big day.
“I just wish to heal and have my face back because I am supposed to be wedding soon,” she said with a hopeful smile on her face.
She said she was hopeful things would go as planned as her groom was still visiting her in hospital, showing that love was still there, despite her facial injuries.
The Minister joked that she should cheer up as there are high chances the wedding would go ahead as planned as her man was still visiting her in hospital. Mpofu was discharged from hospital on Tuesday but would continue going for dressing at a local clinic in Bulawayo for some time.
Two expecting mothers, who survived the accident, feel lucky as their pregnancies were not affected despite sustaining some injuries. One of them said she had been stressed about her baby but was glad to learn that her pregnancy was safe. “This is my first child,” she said. Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly member Cde Molly Mpofu, who was among those who attended burials of some of victims in Matabeleland North province, said the episode ranks among the most heart-breaking of her life. — @ winnie_masara