25 Killed in Harare–Masvingo Highway Crash Near Chivhu

CHIVHU

Twenty-five people have died after a commuter omnibus collided head-on with a haulage truck along the Harare–Masvingo highway near Chivhu on Friday night.

Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Itayi Ndudzo said 23 people died at the scene while two others later died from their injuries in hospital.

The crash happened about 15 kilometres south of Chivhu, turning one of Zimbabwe’s busiest highways into the scene of another major road tragedy.

Witnesses said the commuter omnibus burst into flames after the collision. Authorities also said the vehicle was overloaded.

Two survivors, including the driver of the haulage truck, were reported to be in critical condition and receiving medical treatment.

Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.

What happened

The commuter omnibus and the haulage truck were travelling along the Harare–Masvingo highway when they collided head-on near Chivhu on Friday night.

The full sequence of events leading to the crash has not yet been established.

Police have not publicly confirmed whether speeding, dangerous overtaking, mechanical failure or another factor contributed to the collision.

Until investigators establish what happened, those possible causes remain unconfirmed.

The identities of the people who died had also not been officially released at the time of publication.

Authorities normally release the names of road accident victims after formal identification and notification of their next of kin.

Death toll rose after the crash

Early reports from the crash scene carried a lower casualty figure as emergency services responded and injured passengers were taken for treatment.

The confirmed death toll later rose to 25 after two people who survived the initial collision died from their injuries in hospital.

The condition of the remaining survivors remains a concern as authorities continue to assess the full impact of the crash.

The collision is also likely to renew scrutiny of passenger loading, vehicle condition and driver behaviour on Zimbabwe’s highways.

Public service vehicles carry thousands of passengers between cities, towns and rural communities every day, making enforcement of road safety regulations critical.

Police investigation underway

Investigators are expected to establish the direction in which each vehicle was travelling, their movements before impact and whether either driver committed a traffic violation.

Any mechanical problems affecting the vehicles may also form part of the investigation.

Police had not announced the outcome of those investigations at the time of publication.

The Harare–Masvingo highway is a major transport corridor linking the capital with southern Zimbabwe and the Beitbridge border.

It carries a heavy mix of buses, commuter omnibuses, private vehicles and haulage trucks.

Friday night’s crash comes amid continuing concern over deaths on Zimbabwe’s roads, particularly accidents involving public transport vehicles and heavy trucks.

Families of those killed are now awaiting formal identification processes and further information from authorities.

This is a developing story. The Granite Post Zimbabwe will update this article when police release further verified information.