ROW OVER 50 CENTS TRIGGERED HORROR CRASH

A row over 50 cents saved one man’s life but it could also have cost the lives of 16 others who died in a kombi, which collided with a haulage truck along Seke Road on Tuesday morning, in a horror crash which has been declared a national disaster by President Mnangagwa.

Yesterday, police released the names of the people who died in the accident.

The youngest was a three-year-old baby girl while the oldest was a 63-year-old woman.

Shantel Jere, who was just three, was the youngest among those who died in the accident.

Mary Nyambiri, 63, was the oldest.

The kombi driver, Tatenda Dhokwani, 25, has been described by his colleagues as one of the exemplary drivers in an industry dominated by wayward drivers.

Dhokwani died in that crash.

His passengers – Tatenda Silia, 25, Wishby Nganima, 19, Letwin Hwingwiri, 52, Frederick Jumo, 39, Rainford Jere, 29, Prodigas Mugere, 37, Tatenda Dhokwani, 25, Samantha Taderera, 27, Sheilla Nemasango, 58, Samantha Nyangani, 32, Emma Matare, 32, Joshua Gutsa, 7, Perpetus Kurwa, 35, Anyway Magudure, 26, and  Talent Hwingwiri, 18 – also died in the accident.

‘‘The police are conducting comprehensive investigations to determine the causes of the accident,’’ said national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.

‘‘Motorists are urged to be safety conscious while driving on the country’s roads. Above all, vehicles should be regularly serviced and checked to address mechanical issues for road safety.’’

It also emerged yesterday that a row over 50 cents could have played a key role in delaying the kombi from passing the area of contact where it crashed with the out-of-control haulage truck, which veered into the commuter omnibus’ lane.

Just before the crash Dokwani, the driver of the Nissan Caravan, stopped at the waterworks, just before the Hunyani River bridge, to drop off a passenger after a row over how much he was supposed to pay for his trip. The passenger, who identified himself as Baba Tiara, had boarded the kombi at Koala Meats bus station along Seke Road.

Had the kombi not stopped to drop Baba Tiara, it’s very likely it would have passed the danger area where it met the haulage truck.

Baba Tiara wanted to pay 50 cents, or the equivalent in ZiG, and gave the conductor a 20 ZiG note.

However, the kombi driver demanded that he should pay US$1.

A row ensued and when they could not reach a compromise, the driver ordered Baba Tiara off the kombi. Yesterday, Baba Tiara spoke to H-Metro.

‘‘The kombi driver picked me up at Koala and I handed the conductor a 20 ZiG note.

‘‘The driver said I was supposed to pay a dollar and we quarreled along the way.

‘‘The driver ordered me to get off the kombi at a bus stop before the bridge and I complied.

‘‘He was not speeding but the haulage truck driver encroached into his lane and I saw it all and it was so devastating. I would like to believe that if the driver had not stopped to drop me off he would have missed the haulage truck when it came into his lane. Ndichirikurwadziwa zvakanyanya uye nekuzvipa mhosva. If I had enough money, maybe the kombi driver could have saved all these souls.’’

Harare Central Police Station rank marshal, Solomon Swikiro, popularly known as Solo, told H-Metro that Dhokwani was one of the exemplary drivers on the route. ‘‘I am the one who loaded his Caravan vehicle at the Charge Office rank in town. He was one of the drivers who was not associated with violence or even this habit of taking alcohol. He was of a sober mind and was never counted among the speeding drivers.

‘‘We will miss him and we will also miss our clients who perished along with him, may their souls rest in eternal peace.

‘‘We lost one of our best drivers,’’ said Solo. H Metro