Driver gets 1 yr jail for killing 31 passengers

The driver of the South Africa-registered haulage truck that side-swiped a Johannesburg-bound Proliner bus, killing 31 people in Mvuma early this year has been jailed for an effective one year after pleading guilty to one count of culpable homicide and negligent driving.

The truck driver, Regis Mangwari, pleaded guilty to causing the death of the passengers and injury to another 40 in the accident at Nyamatikiti River.

Mr Chibanda, in delivering his sentence yesterday, also cancelled Mangwari’s drivers’ licence and he will only apply for a new one after two years as punishment for being grossly negligent, leading to the death and injury of passengers in the horrific accident on April 5 this year.

Mr Chibanda had initially slapped Mangwari with a two-year jail sentence before suspending one year on conditions.

Mangwari, through his lawyer, Mr Josiniya Maupa, appealed for the courts to order him to do community service, but Mr Chibanda said a custodial sentence was necessary since people had died in the accident. state media