The Sunday Mail
Tendai Gukutikwa
THE Government will provide assistance for funerals of five victims of the Manica Bridge bus accident, which occurred on Friday afternoon, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro has said.
The accident occurred when the tyre of an 18-seater commuter omnibus that was ferrying more than 40 Hartzell Central Primary School learners home from the institution burst, before the vehicle overturned several times.
The driver and a learner died on the spot. Three more learners died at Old Mutare Mission Hospital and Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.
Dr Mangwiro visited survivors at the two hospitals on Saturday morning.
“The Honourable Vice President, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, has declared that the children’s medical expenses will be catered for by Government.
“Everything that needs to be done will be billed to Government.
“The five victims who died during the accident will receive State-assisted funerals. We have already made this clear to the relatives and family members,” he said during the visit.
Dr Mangwiro also said Government will cater for the specialised forensic post-mortems for the five victims.
“The post-mortems were supposed to be done in Harare, but Government will bring the experts here,” he said.
Eight learners are currently in hospital, while the rest who received medical attention were discharged.
Dr Mangwiro also paid his condolences to the bereaved families.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed that the fatal accident occurred at the 26km peg on the Juliasdale-Nyanga road.
