Bulawayo – A horrific incident unfolded in Bulawayo on Monday, leaving a community reeling in shock and grief.
A truck driver, identified as Fani Herbert, ran over and killed a Form 1 pupil in Emnganwini while she was on her way to Founders High School. The pupil was 14 years old. When the father arrived at the accident scene, the driver then turned his rage on the girl’s father, whom he brutally assaulted, Newsday has reported.
The incident occurred along an unnamed road in Emganwini, after the truck turned left from Upper Rangemore. The young girl was struck by the truck and fell onto the tarmac, sustaining fatal head injuries.
Witnesses at the scene described the gruesome scene, with the girl’s lifeless body lying in the middle of the road. The driver, instead of showing remorse or seeking help, reportedly got out of his truck and began to blame the child for the accident.
“He was trying to absolve himself,” said one witness. “He blamed the child for causing the accident.”
Witnesses pleaded with him to withdraw his statement, but he refused.
This resulted in the girl’s father losing control of himself and getting involved in a fight with the truck driver.
“The moment the father confronted him, the driver got incensed and without remorse, hit the grieving father with fists before an exchange of blows,” a source said.
The driver was apprehended by the police shortly after the incident.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the accident, stating, “A 14-year-old student (female) doing Form 1 at Founders High was hit by a UD truck that was being driven by Fani Herbert along an unnamed road in Emganwini after it turned left from Upper Rangemore. The student fell on the tarmac. She sustained heard injuries and died on the spot.”
In a separate incident, Ncube reported another fatal road traffic accident involving a pedestrian from Burnside which occurred along Nketa Drive on the same day.
“Sithembiso Shenion (27) from Njube was driving a Toyota Fortuner (and) knocked down Mandlenkosi Ndebele (42) from Burnside along Nketa Drive near West Commonage and he died on the spot,” he said.
“Shenion is yet to produce a driver’s licence. We are worried about the increase in road traffic accidents, especially due to failure to pay proper attention on the roads.”
Ncube, however, advised residents to avoid answering phones while driving.
