Harare, Zimbabwe – Seventeen lives were tragically lost on Tuesday in a catastrophic head-on collision involving a minibus taxi and a haulage truck near Chitungwiza, a bustling township approximately 25 kilometers southeast of the capital, Harare.
Authorities confirmed that the accident unfolded when the truck driver reportedly lost control, causing the vehicle to swerve into oncoming traffic. The truck initially struck two pedestrians walking along a traffic island before crashing directly into the minibus.
According to Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, fifteen passengers in the minibus were killed instantly at the scene. Several others sustained serious injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.
Eyewitnesses and local media described the aftermath as harrowing. The roadway was littered with debris—twisted metal, shattered glass, and fragments of the vehicles strewn across the tarmac. The force of the impact left the minibus completely crushed beneath the truck’s front end, making rescue efforts both dangerous and difficult.
Emergency responders worked into the day to recover bodies and assist survivors. The state-owned Herald newspaper reported that the remains of the minibus were barely recognizable, with parts of its frame lodged under the haulage truck’s undercarriage.
In response to the scale of the disaster, Chitungwiza Mayor Rosaria Mangoma urged national authorities to declare the crash a state of emergency. “This is one of the most shocking and traumatic incidents our town has ever faced,” she said, calling for immediate government intervention and support for the affected families.
The incident adds to a worrying pattern of fatal road accidents in Zimbabwe. Official statistics reveal that a traffic accident occurs roughly every 15 minutes in the country, with an average of five people losing their lives daily—making Zimbabwe one of the most dangerous nations in Africa for road users. Common causes include excessive speeding, vehicle overloading, and poor road maintenance.
February saw a similarly tragic collision near Beitbridge, close to the South African border, where a bus and truck collided head-on, killing 24 people. Such recurring incidents have intensified calls for stricter road safety enforcement, infrastructure upgrades, and better driver training across the country.
As investigations continue into Tuesday’s fatal crash, many are left grappling with the loss and renewed urgency for reform on Zimbabwe’s roads. For the grieving families in Chitungwiza, it is a sobering reminder of the human cost behind the country’s road safety crisis.
