2 killed, 17 injured as kombi crashes into vendors

A tragic accident on Bulawayo's 6th Avenue left two vendors dead and 17 others seriously injured last night after a commuter omnibus allegedly suffered brake failure and ploughed into them. The incident occurred shortly after 9 PM at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Lobengula Street, a busy area that doubles as the city's informal trading hub.

Witnesses described chaos as the vehicle veered off the road, striking vendors and damaging several stalls and pushcarts. One vendor, who identified himself only as Nkanyiso, said the kombi lost control while trying to avoid another vehicle. "While people were seated, the kombi lost its braking system and swerved off the road, ploughing into vendors. Many people were injured," he said. Another vendor, Ms Sibanda, narrowly escaped death. "The vehicle rammed into people less than a metre from my stall. I am still shaking — it could have been me," she said.

Bulawayo City Council chief fire and ambulance services officer, Mr Mhlangano Moyo, confirmed the fatalities and the number of injured. "Our teams reacted swiftly, but sadly, two people had already died on the spot due to severe impact and bleeding. We transported the injured using three ambulance vehicles. Some are in critical condition, while others are stable," he said.

Police began investigations into the cause of the crash, collecting the bodies of the deceased and examining the scene. Preliminary accounts suggest the driver may have attempted to avoid a collision, leading to the vehicle losing control.

The 6th Avenue corridor has long been considered a high-risk zone due to heavy traffic, informal vending, and congestion from commuter omnibuses. Authorities have repeatedly warned against unregulated taxi ranks and illegal vending, citing safety risks for both traders and motorists.

The community has been left shaken, with many expressing grief and outrage over the preventable nature of the tragedy.