7 killed in crash along Bulawayo–Beitbridge road

Seven people have reportedly died after a speeding haulage truck ran into bystanders who had gathered at the scene of an earlier road accident in Mawabeni, along the Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road.

According to Zachariah Jusah, the tragic incident occurred on Friday night at around 10PM in the Mawabeni area.

Jusah said the fatal accident followed an initial collision involving two vehicles.

"A Nissan March and a Toyota Probox rammed into each other at a bridge in Mawabeni area. Both cars were headed towards Gwanda. A kombi that was headed in the same direction then rammed into the stationary vehicles. Six people were injured and rushed to hospital," he said.

He added that shortly after the crash, community members gathered at the scene, a common occurrence on busy highways.

However, the situation turned deadly when a haulage truck travelling towards Bulawayo approached at high speed.

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

The incident has once again highlighted the dangers of speeding and the risks faced by bystanders at accident scenes, particularly along major highways.

Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and have urged motorists to exercise caution, especially when approaching accident scenes, and to adhere to speed limits to prevent further loss of life.