LIFESAVER Sirizani Butau, who risked his life to save at least eight people from a bus that caught fire along the Harare-Mutare Highway on Christmas eve, continues receiving cash donations for his selfless sacrifice.
The truck driver is currently admitted in hospital after suffering third degree burns.
Zimbabweans worldwide and other well-wishers continue sending in donations in cash and kind after he went out of his way to save accident victims who would otherwise have been burnt to death in the inferno which engulfed the bus and the haulage truck.
One of the latest donors is a Twitter personality known only as @thegiverzim, who has donated $250 000 to Butau. Only last week, @thegiverzim also handed over groceries worth $200 000 to children’s homes across Harare for the Christmas holidays.
“If it encourages others to consider putting a hand and helping this hero out, who now because of his injuries might be unable to provide for his family, you can share my donation with the public, it is your call,” @thegiverzim said.
The developments come as President Emmerson Mnangagwa also announced Government will soon honour Butau, whose courage he described as rare.
“The President recognises Cde Butau for heroically putting his own life at risk to save traffic accident victims who could have been burnt in a conflagration when a bus and a fuel tanker collided. He promised national recognition,” Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said Sunday.
A day before, a leading confectionery offered a US$1 000 cash donation to Butau while top comedienne Madam Boss chipped in with US$500 cash. Some businesses have also jumped in, with one textile maker giving Butau’s family a year’s supply of tissues.
On Saturday, his EcoCash wallet reached the set limit and there were pleas for the monetary authorities to waiver the restriction for Butau as many Zimbabweans across the world flooded the money transfer platform after Butau’s phone number was shared with the public.
Many have called on the government to consider giving Butau a diplomatic passport, and meeting all his medical expenses.
Meanwhile, Butau’s brother Trevor told NewsDay that Sirizani was overwhelmed by the love Zimbabweans were showering him with.
“At the moment he is unable to talk because he is being attended to by doctors, what we can say is he is overwhelmed by the kindness and love from across Zimbabwe, he never sought to be a hero and he does not feel like one,” said Trevor.
Images released yesterday showed a badly burnt Sirizani lying on a hospital bed. He is among the 25 people who are still admitted for the injuries sustained in the horro crash. Except that Sirizani got injured while rescuing others.
All in all, 66 people got injured while four have died. The other 41 have since been treated and discharged, police announced in a statement issued Sunday.
