By Desire Tshuma
Kadoma — The Nissan AD van that claimed three lives on the Harare–Bulawayo Road yesterday was overtaking a line of slow-moving vehicles when it sideswiped an oncoming Scania truck, witnesses at the scene told this publication in an exclusive account.
The crash, which occurred at the 128-kilometre peg near Kadoma at around 1500 hours on Saturday, has once again put Zimbabwe’s deadliest highway under the spotlight.
Three occupants of the van, including the driver, died instantly. Five others were rushed to Kadoma General Hospital with serious injuries, where they remain in a critical but stable condition, according to hospital sources.
One witness, a vendor who sells fruit along the highway, said the van was speeding towards Harare when it swerved into the oncoming lane.
“It was coming fast. It tried to overtake two cars at once and the truck driver tried to move off the road but it was too late. The van hit the side of the truck,” he said. “People were screaming. We tried to pull people out, but three were already gone.”
Another witness, a truck driver who stopped at the scene, said the impact was so violent that the van was spun off the road.
“The road is narrow there and there is no room for error. One mistake and you are gone,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the accident but has not released the names of the deceased pending notification of their families.
“The bodies of the victims were conveyed to Kadoma General Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations, while the injured were taken to the same hospital for medical treatment,” the police said in a statement.
The 128-km peg is part of a notorious stretch between Norton and Kadoma that has recorded multiple fatal accidents in recent years. Road safety experts have repeatedly warned that the Harare-Bulawayo Road, which carries heavy commercial traffic between Zimbabwe’s two biggest cities, is overdue for dualisation.
The accident comes just weeks after the government launched a Smart Traffic Management System in selected CBDs and amid renewed calls for stricter enforcement on highways, including speed cameras and heavy penalties for dangerous overtaking.
Families of the victims gathered at Kadoma General Hospital late yesterday, some in tears, as they waited for confirmation of identities.
“We were told he was going to Harare for business. We never thought this would happen,” said one relative, who declined to be named.
The injured, who include women and children, are said to have sustained fractures, head injuries and internal bleeding.
Police have urged motorists to avoid reckless overtaking, to be patient on the highway and to ensure vehicles are roadworthy, especially ahead of the festive season when traffic volumes increase.
Investigations are continuing.