Rohan (18), one of the senior players of the Prince Edward Tiger team, was part of the winning team that travelled to South Africa two weeks ago, where he escaped death by a whisker.
“I was at the back seat with my teammate Tarisai Musakanda,” he narrated the ordeal. “We were all in a celebratory mood after winning the tournament, when the accident happened around 10pm, about 14 kilometres away from Polokwane,” said Rohan.
He said he witnessed the bus driver losing control after the tyre burst resulting in the bus plunging into a ditch. Rohan said the bus was only stopped by an electric pole.The PE player saluted the South African police for their swift reaction.
“It did not take us five minutes to have a medical rescue team as well as the police at the accident scene,” he recalled. “We were all taken to the nearest hospital, where we were all, but a few boys, treated and discharged.”
“You could tell that young boys who were travelling for their first time were scared and we took our time to comfort them. Some of them broke down,” he said.Coach Sebastian Garikai was equally shaken.
“I sustained an injury on my left hand and had to remain behind in hospital with two other boys who were badly injured. I was discharged on Saturday with the other boy and the other one remained behind for further treatment. But I understand he is safe,” Garikai said.
During the tour, Prince Edward lost once and won one game to qualify to the finals.The team beat hosts Vryheid and won a number of individual awards. Antonio Supriano and Ramsey Chirenje were voted men of the match in two different matches.
