THE Zimbabwe Republic Police says it is unable to identify 20 people who perished in a road accident which occurred along the Masvingo-Zvishavane highway on Monday afternoon after they travelled without identity cards.
This comes as police said 18 people perished on the spot, while two died on admission to Zvishavane District Hospital.
“Most of the people who perished in this accident had no identity documents which have made it difficult for the police in identifying them and the subsequent releasing of names which under normal circumstances would have been made public by now,” national police spokesperson Paul Nyathi, pictured, told the Daily News last night.
Nyathi urged the public to carry any form of identification papers when travelling.
“It is always in the best interest to always make it a habit that people take with them IDs when leaving home and more so when travelling because it helps with ease identification and relaying of information to relatives when one is reported lost or in the event of accidents as is the case with what happened in the Masvingo-Zvishavane accident,” Nyathi added.
The Monday accident occurred when a Toyota Granvia travelling from Masvingo heading towards Zvishavane burst a tyre and veered into the oncoming Toyota Wish’s lane.
The motor vehicles had a head-on collision at the 61km peg along Masvingo-Zvishavane Road near Chitowa Business Centre, just after Mhandamabwe.
Three injured victims were taken to Zvishavane District Hospital, while the bodies have been taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital.
