Harare – The morning commute turned into a scene of utter chaos on Mutare Road near the notorious Mabvuku turn-off, as a multi-vehicle pile-up sent tremors through the city and underscored the ongoing crisis on Zimbabwe’s roads. The accident, which occurred during the Thursday morning rush hour, saw a tangled mess of mangled metal and shattered glass, leaving a trail of destruction and, tragically, at least one fatality.
Eyewitnesses, still visibly shaken, recounted a harrowing scene. A smaller Mercedes-Benz sedan, seemingly propelled by the frenzied rush hour traffic, careened onto the roof of a towering Toyota Hilux GD6 truck, leaving the smaller vehicle precariously perched atop the larger one. The impact damaged a nearby Isuzu truck, shattering its windscreen and leaving the driver’s side heavily damaged.
“It was like something out of a movie,” said one witness, who declined to be named. “The Mercedes just flew up and landed on the Hilux. It was terrifying.”
The tragedy, however, did not end there. Unconfirmed reports, circulating rapidly amongst those gathered at the scene, suggested that the driver of the Toyota Hilux GD6 succumbed to their injuries, leaving a sombre pall over the already chaotic scene.
Another accident along the Harare-Mutare road near Mabvuku#DriveSafe pic.twitter.com/vem2NLQkEi
— H-Metro (@HMetro_) July 25, 2024
The Mabvuku turn-off has become a notorious blackspot, with a string of accidents plaguing the area in recent months. The absence of traffic lights for an extended period had been a source of concern for commuters and residents alike, with many attributing the escalating accidents to the lack of proper traffic management.
“It’s a miracle that more people haven’t been killed here,” remarked a commuter who frequently uses the turn-off. “It’s a recipe for disaster without traffic lights.”
The recent installation of traffic lights at the turn-off, announced by Mabvuku legislator Scott Sakupwanya earlier this month, had brought a flicker of hope to the community. However, the latest accident serves as a testament of the ongoing dangers on Zimbabwe’s roads.
Just last week, another horrific road traffic accident occurred on the Harare-Mutare highway, just past the Mabvuku turn-off, claiming the lives of four people and leaving ten others injured. In that incident, a commuter omnibus travelling towards Marondera veered off the road after a tyre burst, rolling over three times before coming to a rest on its roof.
These tragic events are not isolated incidents. The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has painted a grim picture of the country’s road safety landscape, highlighting the alarming frequency of accidents and the devastating human cost.
According to the TSCZ, an accident occurs in Zimbabwe every 15 minutes, with at least 150 people dying every month. Reckless driving, inadequate enforcement of traffic laws, and the use of defective vehicles are among the key factors contributing to this grim statistic.
“The situation is dire,” said a TSCZ spokesperson. “We are losing too many lives on our roads. We need a collective effort to address this crisis.”
The TSCZ has set an ambitious target of reducing road accidents by 50 percent by 2030 as part of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1). Their strategy includes a multi-pronged approach, encompassing public awareness campaigns, enhanced law enforcement, and improved road infrastructure.
“We are committed to creating safer roads for all Zimbabweans,” said the TSCZ spokesperson. “By aligning with the broader goals of NDS 1, we aim to contribute to national development and ensure that our roads are not a source of tragedy.”
