Zim Metro

Kombis To Pay The Price For Girls High Pupil Death

“ ….CRUSHED and DRAGGED to death ”

Harare and Queen Elizabeth Girls High Schools, stung by the death of a pupil and a man who were run over and dragged to their death by a commuter omnibus, have called for the removal of an illegal pick-up point at the corner of Park Lane and Leopold Takawira Street.

This follows the accident in which a Form Four pupil Jocelyn Gomba (17) and 35-year-old Mr Odwell Mabanga were run over and dragged to death by one of the commuter omnibuses on Monday, that have established a rank near the entrance of Harare Girls High School.

Mabanga had sustained serious spinal injuries, but died yesterday at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

Police spokesperson Chief Superitendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said: “We have questioned the owner of the kombi, Albert Guyo of Southlea Park in Harare South and he has given us information that Wadzanayi Mabika (41) of Plot 2 Nyabira was the driver. We also discovered that Mabika had one year four months driving experience after obtaining his licence in 2015.

“We are going to take action against the employer for employing someone who does not have the mandatory five years experience as required by the Road Traffic Act.”

The kombis, which ply the city to Inkomo route, have established a rank that operate from the entrance to the school at Park Lane and normally wind into Leopold Takawira Avenue.

A memorial service for Jocelyn was conducted yesterday at the spot where she died.

Two other pupils sustained minor injuries.

District education officer Anatoria Ncube said they were appealing to the city and responsible authorities for kombis to be removed from the area.

The Harare Girls High School head Dr Beauty Mutsambiwa also hinted that she wanted the kombis removed.

Pedestrians also blasted city officials and police for having failed to bring sanity to Harare’s road traffic jungle. They accused police and the city’s traffic officers of collecting bribes from the touts and drivers operating at the rank while ignoring the danger they posed.

The city’s acting corporate communications manager  Michael Chideme said the city would force the kombis back to Market Square where they are designated.

Related story: Kombi Hits, Kills Girls High Pupil

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