Council vehicle chase crash open can of worms
THE 22 Miles road accident which killed two Mutare City traffic enforcement employees following a high speed chase with a commuter omnibus on Monday morning shocked many as it was both painful and unexpected.
Apparently, the tragic incident became the mainstay of public discourse as residents aired out their sentiments over the case.
Soon after The Manica Post broke the news moments after the accident on its online website, an avalanche of comments followed as readers gave their views.
One of the council employees died on the spot while the other died the following morning while receiving treatment at Mutare Provincial Hospital.
Some of the injured were treated and discharged.
The accident occurred after the council tow truck veered off the road and hit a tree while chasing a Chipinge-bound commuter omnibus that had violated traffic regulations. When the news crew visited the scene a few moments after, the alleged kombi at the centre of the incident had long gone.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that murder charges have been preferred against the driver of the runaway kombi who has been arrested.
Witnesses said the council vehicle followed the kombi up to 22 Miles because one of the their colleague had been kidnapped by the kombi crew while trying to arrest them for flouting city road by-laws.
So they were on a rescue mission, it is said.
According to a press statement released by the local authority’s public relations office on Monday, council is blaming the kombi driver for deliberately causing the fatal accident.
“The accident occurred . . . when a Council tow vehicle was involved in a hit and run with a commuter omnibus which was evading police arrest.
After committing the first offence at Sakubva swimming, the driver of the commuter omnibus sped off along Chimanimani Road, and upon arriving at 22 Miles, he tactfully hit the Council vehicle with the bumper resulting in the accident.
The driver immediately sped off after the incident.” Readers had this to say over the
accident:
Walter Sandako: Thank God mkombi hamuna vafa . . . . zvimwe zvacho kanzuru yava kukura musoro
Zunaid Nakedar: Sad to hear guys had to lose their lives by chasing a stupid kombi. What did the deceased achieve by doing so? Is the council going to keep him on a lifetime payroll? I don’t think so. The council guys also need to wake up and do their job and don’t try to act too smart
Luckson Mutate Ngorima: Going as far as 22 miles? That’s total madness. Where were they going? Out of bounds. To the deceased, may their dear departed souls rest in eternal peace and a speedy recovery to the injured ones
Elizabeth Natasha Kupenga: Problem is these officers vanenge vachifunga kuti varikishamisira vachigona basa but at the end they end up being hurt or losing life in the process.
The vehicles they use in chasing other motorists are not safe. This other day ZRP was chasing a kombi using an open truck which had people at the back and they don’t think of their lives. So the Government should really intervene because there might be loss of lives of innocent people especially the passengers in the kombi
Gwinyai Shoko: Regai kudzingirira sekunonzi mari irikupinda muhomwe yemunhu
Edward Mapfumo: Even paita hit and run the best they could have done is alert the police who would have alerted police at tollgate who would have stopped and arrested the kombi driver. This is madness and it must stop .
Succeed Chakanetsa: In all honesty I think the council guys are trying to apportion blame to someone who, at the moment, cannot respond to these allegations. However, the simple truth that we know is the speed chase was unnecessary. I am not sure what the kombi driver had done but I think they could have done better by taking down the licence plate number and then catching the offender on another day, in a safer situation. Not only did their rash judgement and reaction result in the unnecessary death of their colleague, they endangered lives of scores of other road users. For what? A fine? Get real Mutare City Council.
Kaitano Mbaya: Mapurisa ecouncil vanonyanya kuda mari vari kugurisa vanhu mari mumisika umo vachongoti izvi hazvibvumidzwe saka ngapaongororwe. Ndokuzo mhanyirira mota kusvika ku22miles kuda kugurisa please investigate these corrupt council policemen
Royn Nyamombe: It seems as if the kombi was chasing the city council vehicle. It doesn’t make sense that they were hit by the front bumper of the kombi, of which they were chasing. Plus why did they chase the kombi kunosvika ku 22 uko wachitadza kutora number plate kuda kugurisa kwese ikoko
Regai Tsunga: The Council version of the incident is a hard sell. Old habits die hard. Mutare Council staff have no business to transact so far away from the city. Traffic cops must simply desist from partaking in high speed chase errands
Albie Marima: They lost control on their own don’t try to put the blame on kombi driver. How can they chase for 36km what crime had he committed?
Blessing Kevin Mashawa: The council said the kombi driver tactifully hit the front bumper of the council truck? Who was chasing who? The statement leaves a lot to be desired. The truck driver lost control on his own. He was the one who was behind. After all he was out of his jurisdiction. Ko Mutare yawe kusvika ku 22miles here?
Jephias Mundondo: Kuhumana chaiko. Madness proper. ED or whoever will win the elections need to know that we still have lunacy in these councils and has some cleaning to do. The demon of wanting money at all cost without considering human dignity and life is still hovering in these institutions. It’s the dictatorship hangover mentality of the past. Mweya wesvina chaiwo. Someone must apologize and way of thinking and working of public institution needs to reform. Even Rhodesia never operated like that
Sam Dhina: They say Zimbabwe has the highest rate of educated people but practically this is the opposite. How can they keep on chasing vehicles and yet there have registration numbers. Just take the number plate and make a follow up.
Why waisting Government fuel by chasing vehicles. The end is death in most circumstances. STOP THIS.