Speed race for passengers ends in tragedy as bus rams cart killing a 10-year-old boy. The CAG bus, driven by Kenneth Chakazamba, was speeding towards Binga after Cross Dete. A speed race for passengers between two bus companies plying the Bulawayo-Binga route ended in tragedy after a CAG Travelers bus hit a donkey-drawn scotch cart and killed a juvenile on the spot while two others were left critically injured.
It was chasing after a competitor Zupco bus when it hit from behind, a cart which had three boys on board at Nsongwa. The two bus companies compete for passengers on the Binga-Bulawayo road and drivers often resort to speed to try and beat each other for passengers.
Thamsanqa Ndlovu (10) of Nsongwa village under Chief Nelukoba died on the spot from head injuries while Nkosilathi Ndlovu (17) and Nyashadzashe Rugoo (16) were rushed to St Patrick’s Hospital in Hwange with injuries all over their bodies
The three juveniles were riding on a donkey-drawn cart going towards Nsongwa Business Centre when the bus emerged from a blind corner and failed to stop resulting in the accident.
Police confirmed the accident which happened last Wednesday but blamed it on Nkosilathi who was driving the donkeys for negligence saying he failed to check for any approaching traffic before driving the donkeys across the road.
“Nkosilathi Ndlovu was driving a donkey-drawn cart on 21 October around 11:45am together with Thamsanqa Ndlovu and Nyashadzashe Rugoo along a gravel road towards Nsongwa Business Centre.
“He drove the donkeys across the road without checking and while in the middle of the road, the bus emerged from a blind curve.
“The driver of the bus swerved to the left side of the road in an attempt to avoid hitting the cart but hit its rear right corner,” said Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese.
She said the three juveniles were thrown out of the scotch cart due to the impact and they landed on the tarmac.
Thamsanqa sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot while Nkosilathi and Nyashadzashe were rushed to hospital with injuries all over their bodies. The donkeys did not stop while the bus stopped some metres off the road with all its 25 passengers unharmed. The bus sustained frontal damage and was towed to VID Hwange.
Source – Bulawayo24
