Seventeen people have been confirmed dead following a devastating head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a haulage truck near Chitungwiza, about 25 km southeast of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said the truck veered into the opposite lane after the driver lost control, striking two pedestrians before crashing into the minibus. Fifteen of the minibus passengers died instantly, while others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrific. The minibus was reportedly flattened beyond recognition, with only fragments of its chassis visible beneath the truck. Rescue teams worked into the afternoon to recover bodies trapped in the wreckage.
Chitungwiza Mayor Rosaria Mangoma urged the government to declare the incident a national disaster, calling it “one of the most disturbing and traumatic scenes” the town had ever witnessed.
Deadly road accidents involving public transport are frequent in Zimbabwe, driven by reckless speeding and deteriorating road conditions. According to national data, the country records a road accident every 15 minutes, with at least five deaths daily — one of the highest rates in Africa.
This latest tragedy follows a similar crash in February that claimed 24 lives near the South African border. Calls for urgent reforms in road safety and public transport oversight continue to grow.