Seven killed after truck ploughs into crowd at accident scene on Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road

Accident Scene

Seven people were killed after a speeding haulage truck veered off the road and struck passers-by who had gathered at an accident scene along the Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road on Friday night. The incident occurred around 10 PM on 3 April 2026 in the Mawabeni area, according to Matabeleland South Provincial Civil Protection Committee chairperson, Zachariah Jusah.

The fatal incident followed a series of collisions at the same location.

“A Nissan March and a Toyota Probox rammed into each other at a bridge in Mawabeni area. Both cars were headed towards Gwanda,” said Jusah.

He added that a kombi travelling in the same direction later crashed into the stationary vehicles, leaving six people injured. The earlier accidents drew a crowd of community members and motorists, some attempting to assist while others gathered to observe.

Moments later, a haulage truck travelling towards Bulawayo approached the scene at high speed and lost control.

“A haulage truck headed towards Bulawayo passed by at high speed and hit people, killing five on the spot while two died on their way to hospital,” Jusah said.

Seven people were confirmed dead, while several others were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals. Authorities had not yet released the identities of the victims at the time of publication.

Emergency services attended the scene, and investigations are underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash. The Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road, a key route linking southern Zimbabwe to South Africa, has long been associated with high traffic volumes and frequent fatal accidents. If you want, I can also add a data box (recent accidents on that highway) or a road safety sidebar to strengthen the story for print.

Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road accident