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Zimbabwean ministers visit Rovos-BBR train accident victims
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The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, and the Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Judith Ncube, visited the victims of the Gwanda train accident at Mater Dei Hospital on Saturday morning. The accident, which occurred on Good Friday, involved a collision between a Rovos Rail train and a Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway goods train just outside Gwanda town in Matabeleland South province.
The collision left eight individuals injured, including seven crew members from both trains. The victims consisted of three Zimbabwean males and five foreign nationals, which included one South African male, three South African females, and one female from the United States of America.
According to hospital reports, all the victims are in stable condition. Notably, one South African male required an intense 12-hour surgery following a spinal cord injury sustained during the collision. The surgery began at 7 pm on Friday and concluded at 6 am the next day.
During their visit, Ministers Rwodzi and Ncube were briefed by hospital staff on the conditions of the victims before proceeding to visit the patients in their wards. Both ministers took the opportunity to personally speak with the patients, offering words of encouragement and assuring them that the government would provide any necessary support to assist in their recovery.
The ministers also visited the uninjured survivors, who were staying at a local hotel. The survivors appeared to be in good spirits and were ready to continue their journey to Victoria Falls.
Rovos Rail's guest services manager, Mr. Tshepo Letoaba, informed the ministers that his company had chartered a plane to transport the tourists to the resort town of Victoria Falls on Saturday morning, ensuring they could resume their holiday despite the unfortunate incident.
The visit by the ministers highlights the government's commitment to providing immediate support and care for accident victims, as well as ensuring that international visitors to the country continue to have positive experiences despite setbacks.
The collision left eight individuals injured, including seven crew members from both trains. The victims consisted of three Zimbabwean males and five foreign nationals, which included one South African male, three South African females, and one female from the United States of America.
According to hospital reports, all the victims are in stable condition. Notably, one South African male required an intense 12-hour surgery following a spinal cord injury sustained during the collision. The surgery began at 7 pm on Friday and concluded at 6 am the next day.
The ministers also visited the uninjured survivors, who were staying at a local hotel. The survivors appeared to be in good spirits and were ready to continue their journey to Victoria Falls.
Rovos Rail's guest services manager, Mr. Tshepo Letoaba, informed the ministers that his company had chartered a plane to transport the tourists to the resort town of Victoria Falls on Saturday morning, ensuring they could resume their holiday despite the unfortunate incident.
The visit by the ministers highlights the government's commitment to providing immediate support and care for accident victims, as well as ensuring that international visitors to the country continue to have positive experiences despite setbacks.
Source - the herald
