Independence tragedy, Dairiboard trucker plunges into Mupfure River

A visibly unretrieved floating lifeless body belonging to a Dairiboard milk tanker truck driver has been idle since independence when he lost control of the vehicle, overturned at the bridge and plunged into Mupfure River.

Beatrice residents and witnesses confirmed that Dairiboard teams just brought a crane and some members from sub-aqua unit on the Independence Day and only managed to retrieve their vehicle wreckage, but could hardly locate the body of the late driver (name not known).

Patience Ushe (46), a Beatrice resident and witness to the unfortunate incident claimed that the driver lost control of the vehicle at the bridge before it overturned early in the morning of independence.

"It was on the independence day morning when a tanker truck vehicle travelling along Harare-Masvingo highway lost control when it approached a bridge across flowing Mupfure river, overturned and plunged into the water," Ushe said.

"Both the truck and driver drowned into the flowing river and could not be visible. Later during the Independence Day, we saw teams from Dairiboard and sub-aqua unit, who only managed to locate their truck and couldn't find the now deceased's body," Ushe added.

"After retrieving the tanker wreckage, the teams left. It is only this morning that we saw a floating body in a red-checkered shirt, facing water while half of its head and back protrude above the water," Ushe said.

Another witness, Grace Chiweshe said the driver of the Dairiboard tanker lost control and balance leading to its plunge into the flowing river.

"It was travelling along the highway from Harare and failed balance, that is when it rammed against supporting bridge iron bars and plunged into the river," Chiweshe said.

However, another witness had a different experience and observation related to the incident, claiming the place which has become a hive of rituals is becoming a black spot and deathtrap amongst drivers.

"This area has become a black spot and deathtrap to drivers for quite a long period of time in yesteryears. Last year, a haulage trucker and another vehicle drowned into the Mupfure river after they side-swiped from opposite directions and both plunged into water," Daelo said.

"We have noted that whenever several people flock here for and have rituals, barely some few hours there would be mysterious accidents. The area is associated with several rituals and the abnormality has become normalised," Daelo added.

"According to some drivers, they reported that something strange and weird is experienced at the bridge. Those survived accidents here claim that there would be visible strange people trying to cross and babies crawling across the bridge and I trying to avoid hitting them, you plunge into the river," Daelo claimed.

"We appeal to the authorities and churches to address this spiritually in cleansing this area which has become a black spot. Authorities should also ban all rituals here in their tireless efforts to avoid rampant road carnages associated with rituals performed here," Daelo appealed.