Third death reported in Bulawayo sugar stampede
By Tererai Karimakwenda
17 August, 2007

An injured victim of the stampede that developed on Wednesday when a huge crowd queued for sugar in Bulawayo is reported to have died in hospital. No name has been provided, but the police official attending to the case told our Bulawayo contact Zenzele that the man had sustained head injuries and broken both legs when a crowd forced its way into a Entumbane Shopping Complex to buy some sugar that had been delivered last week. As we reported, a 35year old security guard died on the spot and a 15year old injured schoolboy died later at Mpilo Central Hospital. The death Thursday brings to 3 the number of fatalities from this tragic incident.

It has been revealed that the brick wall that was knocked over by the desperate shoppers was not reinforced. A police official involved in the case told Zenzele that the bricks were simply cemented, and they fell apart from the pressure of the surging crowd. Zenzele said another person is still in hospital with serious injuries.

Questions have been raised as to why the sugar that was delivered last week was not sold until this Wednesday. By the time it went on sale a queue had formed that was so long the Zimbabwe Republic Police could not cope with the numbers. According to Zenzele, military police had to be called in to disperse the crowd.

He said the owner of the OK Supermarket where the incident occurred might be investigated not only for the sugar incident, but for some bags of rice that were found in the shop’s office as well. Many businesses have had empty shelves for weeks now after the government initiated price controls that led to panic buying, hoarding and looting by officials.