GOVERNMENT will give financial assistance to cover funeral expenses of the 18 members of the Johanne Masowe sect who were killed in a road accident in Nyanga on Sunday. Three more died yesterday bringing the death toll to 18.

In his condolence message, Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo said Government will provide US$200 each to the families of the victims.

Government will also meet the costs of transport to their burial places, embalmment and coffins.

This followed a decision by the Minister to invoke the Civil Protection Act to cover for the costs.

“Ironically this tragedy occurred during the same weekend when I had a fruitful meeting with members of the same progressive sect in Mufakose where we shared ideas on matters of common developmental interest. Little did we know what fate had in store for the deceased who were on their way to attend a prayer conference at Ruwangwa in Nyamaropa,” said Minister Chombo.

He bemoaned loss of life caused by the human factor such as overloading in buses and high speeds.

“One would have thought that the lesson learnt from the 1991 Regina Coeli bus disaster in which 89 students died would be instructive,” said Minister Chombo.

The accident occurred after a kombi veered off the road and crashed into a stone embankment along the Nyanga-Nyamaropa Road.

The church members were on their way from Chivi in Masvingo to Nyanga North for a prayer meeting.

National Traffic police spokesperson Inspector Tigere Chigome, yesterday said one of the three people who died was the driver identified as Akiel Mazani of Tasaranago Tours from Mucheke in Masvingo.

He said the other 27 who were injured were still receiving treatment.

“We are also in the process of trying to identify the deceased,” he said.

Insp Chigome said they suspected that the driver failed to negotiate a curve as a result of speeding although investigations were still in progress.