HARARE – The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has moved to clarify the circumstances surrounding a video circulating on social media, which depicts a haulage truck seemingly sinking along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road. The incident has prompted concern among citizens, particularly given the ongoing rainy season and its impact on road infrastructure.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Ministry emphasised that the incident did not occur on the newly constructed detour of the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, but rather on the old Masvingo Highway, near the 42-kilometre peg, close to Bhati Shops.
“This section of the road is not part of the current detour along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway,” the statement clarified. The affected area, the Ministry explained, is a strip road leading to a damaged low-level crossing structure over the Tugwi River, which is currently out of use.
The section of road in question had been allocated to Fossil Contracting. However, a representative from Fossil Contracting has denied that the incident occurred on a section of road under their responsibility.
A subsequent site visit by authorities confirmed that a haulage truck had indeed become stuck on the old highway. Further investigations revealed that the truck driver had attempted to bypass the designated detour and reconnect to the existing highway, resulting in the mishap.
Meanwhile, as the government addresses concerns regarding road infrastructure, a far graver situation unfolds across the nation. At least 40 people have drowned since the start of the rainy season, a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the heavy rains and flooding.
Among the deceased are seven children who were swept away in the past four days alone. The tragedies highlight the vulnerability of young children, particularly those who must travel long distances to and from school.
One such tragedy occurred in Kezi, Matobo District, Matabeleland South, where a five-year-old Early Childhood Development (ECD) learner at Donkwe Primary School was swept away by a flooded stream on Friday afternoon while walking home from school.
Promise Ncube was travelling with two other five-year-olds after school finished at midday. They had walked about 5km towards Sigwaza Village when heavy rains began.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Stanford Mguni, explained that the three children began running towards home but encountered a fast-flowing stream along the way.
“The other two learners managed to cross, but the deceased was swept away as she attempted to follow her classmates. Upon witnessing the tragic incident, her companions rushed home to inform their parents, who quickly attended the scene and managed to retrieve the body a few metres from the road,” said Asst Insp Mguni.
He added that police attended the scene and transported the body, which is awaiting a post-mortem. “Investigations are ongoing, but as the police, we continue to urge parents and guardians to always escort young children, especially during the rainy season. School authorities are also advised not to release such young learners to travel home unaccompanied,” said Asst Insp Mguni.
In another heartbreaking incident, Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) employees discovered the body of a seven-year-old boy floating in the filter at its slow sand filter at Mawabeni Water Supply in Umzingwane District yesterday.
The Civil Protection Unit (CPU), in a recent report on rain-induced incidents and drownings, stated that on Sunday, a six-year-old ECD pupil at a Lupane school went missing and was later found dead in a nearby river.
“Her lifeless body was discovered trapped in roots, with scars on her face and private parts. The circumstances surrounding her death remain unknown, leaving the community shaken and searching for answers,” the CPU reported.
The CPU is intensifying efforts to educate communities about the dangers of the rainy season, including the risks associated with crossing flooded rivers. “The District Civil Protection structures are intensifying education and awareness in communities about the dangers of rainfall season hazards, including crossing flooded rivers.”
The CPU also reported that last Friday, heavy rainfall in Gokwe South, Midlands province, caused the Tare River to flood its banks. Tragically, a group of over 50 members of the Johane Masowe eJerusalem Sect, who had sought shelter under the Tare River Bridge during a night vigil, were swept away by the flood waters while asleep.
