It never rains for police spikes victim

News
Patrick Mandizvidza is still struggling to come to terms with the death of his mother over a week ago after they were hit by a car whose driver was trying to evade spikes allegedly thrown by Karoi municipal police.

Patrick Mandizvidza is still struggling to come to terms with the death of his mother over a week ago after they were hit by a car whose driver was trying to evade spikes allegedly thrown by Karoi municipal police.

By Nhau Mangirazi

Patrick Mandizvidza survived being run over by a car which was trying to avoid spikes
Patrick Mandizvidza survived being run over by a car which was trying to avoid spikes

The under-siege driver lost control of the car before hitting Chiedza Mandizvidza, and her son who lived to tell the tale.

Mandizvidza (31), said it was by the grace of God that he and other relatives only escaped with injuries in the incident which claimed his mother, 59 year old Chiedza Mandizvidza.

The incident turned the sleepy Karoi into a war zone for hours as riot police fought running battles with residents that were protesting against the woman’s death.

Mandizvidza had just arrived from Harare where he had gone to sell tobacco with his brother Prince, when his mother was hit by the car. His mother was visiting his family from Chete Farm, but did not make it to her son’s home.

The Honda Fit car ploughed into a small vending stall near a busy supermarket in the town, hitting the late Mandizvidza who suffered multiple injuries.

Police battled to control the charging crowd that wanted to mete out instant justice against a hapless Simba Kabvara who is in charge of council police that monitor parking areas within the central business district.

Guns were fired and teargas was dispersed as the crowd wanted to set alight the car in which Kabvara had sought refuge from the mob.

Mandizvidza, speaking from his hospital bed, said he still could not get out of his head images of the white Honda Fit car running over his mother, leaving her helplessly lying on the ground before the vehicle hit him on the left side.

Mandizvidza was dragged by the vehicle for a few metres before it stopped. He suffered a broken right hand and sustained injuries on the pelvis.

The tobacco farmer cannot walk and has difficulties passing urine. However, he is grateful that the accident did not wipe out his family.

“It is by God’s grace that we survived. All six of us could have perished,” Mandizvidza who is a father of a 10-month-old boy, said.

“I vividly recall that the car hit my mother and within a split of a second, I tried to run away in the other direction but unfortunately I could not evade it as the car came towards me.”

He added: “It hit me and I was dragged for a few metres before it stopped.

“During the chaotic moments, my young brother Prince ran in the opposite direction avoiding injury, while two of my sister’s children were injured.”

Mandizvidza does not remember what transpired after he was hit.

“I do not remember anything, though I bled profusely. I only got to know that I had a broken hand when I regained consciousness,” he said.

“I only knew of my mother’s death late on Wednesday afternoon while I was still in hospital.

“I just heard that she passed on in Harare where they had transferred her to. It is sad that I could not attend her funeral.’’

But Mandizvidza, who can hardly sit on his own without assistance – mostly from his 25-year-old wife, Charity – during visiting hours said he was recovering well.

“Unfortunately, no one can account for three phones lost, including my late mother’s phone, $200 in cash and part of our groceries that I had bought before the incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kabvara, the man at the centre of controversy, survived attacks by residents who threw at him anything that they could lay their hands on.

With a brown bandage covering his upper lips after he was hit by a stone, Kabvara said he was just a victim.

‘‘I am surprised that the crowd wanted to kill me with stones when the car that hit the family members was never attacked,” he said.

“We were monitoring the unfolding drama from a distance. We had no intention to throw spikes at all.”

Kabvara said he believes that his attackers had a hidden agenda.

“I never saw a policeman taking indications of the car involved in the accident,” he said.

“How come the car was never attacked but the crowd vented their anger on me? It can only mean people had hidden intentions against me as an individual.”

The use of spikes by police on the country’s roads has sparked debate, with the Home Affairs ministry saying the device should not be used indiscriminately.

A number of accidents have been attributed to spike throwing police officers, who also target public transport vehicles.