A chilling scene unfolded at the Beitbridge Border Post on Wednesday night, leaving a female security guard dead and raising serious questions about safety protocols and driver negligence.
The incident involved a Swiss Express bus, a popular choice among travellers for its reputation for customer service and modern fleet.
The bus, en route from Bulawayo to Johannesburg, was parked on the Zimbabwean side of the border, allowing passengers to complete passport formalities. However, at approximately 7:30 PM, the bus inexplicably began rolling forward, crushing the security guard with its rear wheels who was manning the boom gate. The bus then collided with a concrete shade structure before finally coming to a stop.
📹 The horrific moment a crowd of people realise that a Swiss Express bus has a woman trapped underneath after it left its parking spot at Beitbridge border post and rolled forward pic.twitter.com/4zciSbgD1e
— ZimLive (@zimlive) August 22, 2024
“There was a driver and one male elderly passenger on the bus at the time as everyone had disembarked to get their passports stamped,” said a passenger who was travelling on the bus.
“It’s difficult to understand what happened next, some said the bus has complicated air brakes which failed, while others suspected the driver forgot to apply the handbrake and either slept or took his foot off the brake pedal causing the bus to roll forward.”
The passenger added, “I’m leaning on driver error because the bus was drivable when an officer from the Vehicle Inspection Department moved it from the boom gate.”
Despite the presence of witnesses, the accident victim, who was alive for several minutes, was left to die as no emergency services were immediately available. The scene of the accident was grim, with the bus resting against the concrete shade and the victim lying trapped beneath its rear wheels. A recovery truck was eventually brought in to lift the bus, allowing police to recover the victim’s body.
The incident has cast a dark shadow on Swiss Express, a company owned by Johannesburg-based Zimbabwean entrepreneur Qhubani Moyo. The bus company is known for its commitment to customer service and its modern fleet, which makes the accident all the more shocking.
The Swiss Express passengers were later put on buses from other companies to continue their journey. The bus involved in the accident was impounded by the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) for further investigations.
This tragic incident raises serious concerns about the safety of passengers and pedestrians at the Beitbridge Border Post, SADC’s busiest and often congested crossing point. The lack of immediate emergency response is also a cause for concern, highlighting the need for better preparedness and quicker response times in such situations.
The VID will need to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident, whether it was due to driver negligence, mechanical failure, or a combination of both. The findings of this investigation will be crucial in determining any possible criminal liability and in ensuring that similar tragedies are prevented in the future.
