Harare – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the Beitbridge accident, which claimed the lives of 24 people on Thursday morning, a National Disaster, as he conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, President Mnangagwa expressed his profound sorrow and extended his heartfelt condolences, stating that the Government would provide assistance to the victims with state-assisted burials.
“Government has therefore declared this incident a National Disaster and will accord the victims of this horrendous crash a State-assisted burial. As I express my deepest, heartfelt condolences to the families and relatives who have lost their loved ones in this horrific crash, I also prayerfully reach out to all those injured and hospitalised, wishing them a speedy recovery,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President further lamented that Zimbabwe “does not deserve this at all, let alone experiencing such a bloody incident at the beginning of the year.”
“The death of 24 Zimbabweans in a head-on collision between an Urban Connect bus and a commercial haulage truck, along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway this morning, left me horrified and heartbroken,” he said.
“Fellow Zimbabweans, our nation does not deserve this at all, let alone experiencing such a bloody incident at the beginning of the year. We must do all that is possible to curb this unjustified loss of life,” added the President.
He issued a strong appeal to all motorists to exercise extreme caution on the roads, emphasising the importance of safeguarding both fellow road users and themselves.
“All arms of the Government that are responsible for ensuring safety on our roads are thus constantly reminded to work around the clock and employ all legal means and powers available to them to reduce and ultimately put an end to such carnage,” said President Mnangagwa.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised regarding the potential presence of magnesium at the accident site, prompting the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to dispatch a team to assess the scene.
It is believed that the haulage truck involved in the collision was transporting magnesium, a mineral that could pose environmental and health risks if spilled.
“Our team will have to go on the ground for a status report to ascertain if the truck was really carrying magnesium because, at this moment, it is still speculation that a mineral could have been spilled at the crash site,” said Ms Amkela Sidange, EMA’s Environmental Education and Publicity Manager.
EMA is mandated to clean up and treat sites where chemicals or minerals are spilled after accidents to safeguard the environment, livestock, wildlife, and human populations.
The declaration of the accident as a National Disaster will allow for the mobilisation of resources and coordination of efforts to assist the victims and their families, as well as to address any potential environmental hazards. The nation mourns the loss of life and calls for increased vigilance and responsibility on Zimbabwe’s roads.
