One person died and 16 were seriously injured when a kombi collided with a seven-tonne truck at the Monarch Turn along Kami Road in Bulawayo on Friday night.
The passenger who died was trapped inside the kombi and had to be freed by Bulawayo Fire Brigade crews at the scene.
Four Bulawayo City Council ambulances and two from Highway Emergency Services took the injured to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.
The crash caused major traffic delays along Kami Road. The route was closed for nearly an hour while emergency services helped victims and cleared the wreckage.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mhlangano Moyo, who attended the scene, described the crash as serious. He said early indications pointed to human error.
Moyo said some kombi drivers have done defensive driving training, but the impact on road safety remains limited.
He called for stronger, more practical driver training programmes that take into account the different education levels of public transport operators.
“Passengers also have a role to play by reporting reckless commuter omnibus drivers. Enforcement is there, honestly, but the key problem is a lack of respect for human life, which needs serious attention,” Moyo said.
He also warned about the rising number of underage drivers operating public transport vehicles. He called for more awareness campaigns and closer engagement with vehicle owners to improve accountability.
Moyo said effective road safety programmes are vital to change attitudes, prevent crashes and encourage the community to help make Bulawayo’s roads safer.
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