The Zimbabwe Embassy in South Africa has deployed a team on the ground to assess the needs and ascertain circumstances around a bus accident that killed 13 Zimbabweans in the Western Cape Province in South Africa on Saturday evening.
Tragedy struck when the Simlex bus company coach collided with a commercial truck that was going in the opposite direction, 140km before Cape Town along the Hex River Pass.
The bus was traveling from Harare to Cape Town.
The curves around the Hex River Pass are reportedly too winding and the driver reportedly jumped out of the bus during the collision, but unfortunately, he died as well.
Zimbabwe's Consular General in Cape Town, Ms Esther Mudambo confirmed the death of 13 people adding that they were yet to be identified.
She said a team was already on the ground working with the host Government and the relatives of the accident victims.
"Following the tragic accident that occurred on March 9, about 140 km from Cape Town, South Africa along the N1 highway, involving a Zimbabwe-operated bus company, Simlex Tours, officials from the Zimbabwe Consulate visited the accident scene to offer assistance," said the Consul-General.
"Currently, the Consulate is working flat out to assist the victims of the accident. Preliminary reports indicate that 13 people are confirmed dead, while 12 are still hospitalised, nine are at the Worcester Hospital and three others are hospitalised in Cape Town.
Thirty-eight (38) have since been discharged and further details will be availed in due course.
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Zimbabwe Passengers Transport Organisation (ZPTO) chairman, Dr Samson Nhanhanga on Sunday evening expressed his condolences to the grieving families on behalf of the organisation.
He said ZPTO was saddened by the loss of lives of the passengers and that the organisation had dispatched a team to South Africa to help the victims and bereaved families with the necessary compassionate assistance they may require.
"We mourn with the grieved families who lost mostly their bread winners and as an association we have dispatched a team of people to South Africa who are helping the police to make sure that the injured get medical assistance," said Mr Nhanhanga.
"We are also in constant touch with the bereaved families in consoling them and making sure all the necessary paperwork is done.
"The association will also continue to update Zimbabweans on any development. At the same time, we continue to urge our crews to be responsible and obey the rules of the road all the time to save lives," he said.
