SAMUEL NJINGA
A sombre cloud hangs over the Masvingo province following a tragic road accident that claimed the lives of three passengers and left eleven others seriously injured yesterday in the afternoon. The accident occurred at the 167km peg along the treacherous Mutare-Masvingo highway when a Toyota Hiace Kombi, carrying 14 people, overturned and landed on its left side in what witnesses described as a “sudden and violent crash.”
According to a press statement released by the Masvingo Provincial Police, the minibus was travelling towards Masvingo when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle on a sharp curve. Some of the eyewitnesses who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity said the kombi appeared to be speeding and might have been trying to avoid a pothole before it began to sway dangerously, ultimately flipping over and skidding off the road.
“The vehicle overturned multiple times before coming to rest on its side,” said one source, who was among some of the eyewitnesses. “Three passengers died on the spot. It was a horrifying scene.”
It is said that emergency responders and local villagers rushed to the scene, battling fading daylight and difficult terrain to rescue the injured. All survivors were swiftly transported to Silveira Mission Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment. The bodies of the deceased were also taken to the hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations.
This incident comes barely a week after another gruesome accident along the same Mutare-Masvingo route claimed four lives. In that tragedy, a Toyota Wish veered off the road and rolled several times near the 10km peg. The back-to-back fatalities have reignited public concern over the safety of the highway, with calls growing louder for increased traffic patrols, better road maintenance, and stricter enforcement of speed limits.
“This road is cursed,” muttered a shaken onlooker at the latest crash site. “We lose lives here every other week. How many more must die before something is done?”
Police have always urged motorists to exercise extreme caution while driving, especially along the notoriously perilous stretches of the Mutare-Masvingo road. Investigations into the cause of the accident are still underway. National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment as his mobile went unanswered.
As families mourn and survivors fight for their lives in hospital, the Masvingo community is left asking a haunting question: How many more warnings will it take?