NO AMBULANCE AS 16 INJURED IN BUS ACCIDENT

MANZINI – A total of 16 passengers who were injured during a bus accident were saved by Good Samaritans as there were no ambulances to rush them to hospital.

A bus, which operates on the Manzini - Buhleni - Matsamo route had about 40 passengers and fell in a ditch near Hhelehhele, along the under construction Manzini-Mbadlane MR 3 Highway Road at around 9am. The bus was coming from Manzini, moving towards Mafutseni. 

According to witnesses, this was after the front tyre on the left allegedly burst and the driver lost control of the bus and it landed with its left side in the ditch of the two-way road, which is being used by motorists while the highway is being constructed. A total of 16 passengers were injured and they required medical attention. 

Immediately after the accident, motorists who witnessed it called the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), Emergency Medical Services (EMS) - who are widely known as paramedics and the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services .

Police

The witnesses said the police responded promptly to the call and found members of the public, including those who were doing earth work at the highway road which is under construction, trying to assist some of the passengers to get out of the bus.

“The police officers also called the EMS personnel, but despite the fact that their response was that they will get an ambulance to come to the scene, none arrived,” the source said. When this publication arrived at around 9:40am, it found most of the passengers groaning in pain outside the bus. There was one passenger who was trapped under the bus and he was assisted by police, members of the public and fire fighters who arrived at around 9:45am. Even the fire fighters arrived with a truck. Thereafter, the police were heard complaining about the lack of government ambulances. One of them even said they would stop any ambulance that would come, regardless of which direction it was coming from. 

At around 10am, the police stopped a Ford Bantam LDV and asked its driver to assist them by rushing one of the women who was severely injured to hospital and he agreed. The woman was taken into the Good Samaritan’s car and left with a police officer, who would assist her to get the attention she needed upon arrival at the hospital.

About five minutes later, the police, who seemed frustrated about the lack of ambulances, stopped an empty Toyota Quantum (mini-bus), which operates between Manzini and Luve to assist them by rushing the injured passengers to hospital.

As soon as he agreed, passengers who were able to walk, were ordered to board the kombi, while those who sustained serious injuries were assisted by the police, fire fighters and members of the public to board the vehicle.

Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the accident. She said a total of 16 passengers were injured and two were admitted to hospital , while the 14 were treated and discharged.

It is worth noting that some government cars are grounded due to lack of fuel at the Central Transport Administration (CTA). 

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