Redcliff turnoff accidents worry business

The business community in Redcliff has raised alarm over the growing number of accidents occurring at the Redcliff turnoff, roughly 10 kilometres from Kwekwe along the Kwekwe–Gweru Highway, saying the black spot threatens both public safety and investor confidence.

During a budget consultation meeting, business leaders criticised the local authority for speaking of transforming Redcliff into a smart city by 2030 while failing to address a dangerous intersection on the town's main gateway. They also condemned the deteriorating state of internal roads, arguing that poor infrastructure is driving investors away.

Redcliff Town Engineer Thembani Kundhlande responded by saying the matter had already been escalated to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, which has jurisdiction over the turnoff.

Businesspeople, however, were not satisfied. They argued that the town's economic prospects were fading and questioned why the proposed 2026 budget contained no allocation for road infrastructure improvements.

Statistics obtained by The Masvingo Mirror show that 17 accidents were recorded at the turnoff between January and November 2025.

LAMCAST director Lee Sithole said authorities cannot speak of building a smart city while fatal accidents continue to occur almost every two weeks. "I want to ask city managers to go back and look at the whole plan and see how you can reduce accidents at the turnoff," he said.

Zhonglin International Hotel public relations manager Samson Chigaba, whose company operates at the turnoff, urged council officials to ensure that funding for traffic lights, slip roads and other safety features is included in the 2026 budget. "There must be an effort to address those issues," he said.

Livetouch director Dongni Wang, who invested in Redcliff in 2015, told the meeting that the once-bustling town had become "too quiet", warning that continued neglect of infrastructure would make it even harder to attract investors.

Engineer Kundhlande reaffirmed that the council had engaged the Ministry of Transport, but business leaders insisted that the local authority must push for swift action to prevent further loss of life and revive Redcliff's struggling economy.