BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
FIVE Chiredzi vendors are feared dead after the vehicle they were travelling in was swept away as they tried to cross a raging Malibhangwe River in Chikombedzi on Monday morning.
The five were on their way to Samu open market when tragedy struck.
Acting district development co-ordinator Gift Machukele, who is also vice-chairperson of the district COVID-19 taskforce and chairperson of the Department of Civil Protection, confirmed the incident.
“The incident took place, but at the moment, I don’t have the finer details. I have sent a team there, but they are yet to give feedback because of the network problems. We are working closely with police to try and locate them,” Machukele said.
“In any case, when President Emmerson Mnangagwa relaxed lockdown regulations, open markets were not included. I don’t know why they (vendors) decided to start trading during COVID-19. That means standard operating procedures were definitely not being followed.”
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.
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