Eight Roman Catholic Congregants Die in Hwange Bridge Accident

Southerton Business Times
3 days ago
2 min read

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed that eight people died in a tragic road traffic accident in Hwange on Saturday morning. According to police, all the victims were members of the Roman Catholic Church who were travelling home from a night prayer service when the accident occurred.

In a brief statement, police said the fatal accident happened at around 7 am along Deka Road near Deka Bridge. Authorities said a commuter omnibus carrying 13 church congregants plunged off the bridge under circumstances that are still being investigated.

“The ZRP reports a fatal road traffic accident at Deka Bridge along Deka Road, Hwange. Eight Roman Catholic members died when their kombi plunged into the bridge as they were coming from night prayers,” police said. “The accident occurred on 23/05/26 at 0700 hours. The vehicle had 13 occupants. More details to be released soon.”

Police have not yet confirmed the identities of the deceased pending notification of relatives.

The condition of the surviving passengers had not been officially released at the time of publication. Traffic investigators are expected to examine possible causes of the crash, including mechanical failure, road conditions, and driver error.

Residents in Hwange described the accident as devastating, particularly because the victims were reportedly returning from a church gathering. Local community leader Moses Ndlovu said the incident had left many families in mourning.

“It is a painful tragedy for the community and the church. People were simply returning home after prayers,” he said.

Zimbabwe continues to record high numbers of fatal road accidents involving commuter omnibuses and public transport vehicles. Road safety experts have repeatedly called for stricter vehicle inspections, improved road infrastructure, and stronger enforcement of traffic regulations. Transport analyst Gift Mugano said fatigue during early morning travel could also be a contributing factor in some church-related travel accidents.