Tragedy struck early this morning when a Pavillion bus travelling from Karanda in Mt Darwin to Harare overturned near Madziva after reportedly suffering a tyre burst, leaving several passengers feared dead and others trapped in the wreckage. The horrific accident occurred at around 5 a.m., sending shockwaves across Mashonaland Central as rescue teams and bystanders rushed to assist the injured.
Although the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had not yet issued an official statement at the time of writing, eyewitness accounts painted a grim picture of the aftermath. One of the first people to arrive at the scene, Mr. Richard Mwandira, described the incident as chaotic and distressing, with bodies strewn across the roadside and many passengers crying out for help.
“I arrived at the scene soon after the accident, which occurred around 5 a.m.,” said Mwandira. “The bus was travelling from Karanda to Harare when one of its tyres burst near a bridge by Madziva. The driver appeared to have lost control, and the bus overturned. When I got there, several people were still trapped inside, waiting for help.”
According to witnesses, the Pavillion bus — which was reportedly carrying over 60 passengers — was heading toward the capital with people travelling for work, medical appointments, and business errands. The impact of the crash was so severe that the roof of the bus partially collapsed, trapping dozens of passengers inside. Some survivors managed to crawl out through shattered windows before emergency responders arrived.
Local villagers and motorists passing by were among the first to offer assistance. Using makeshift tools and bare hands, they worked frantically to free those trapped inside as cries for help filled the morning air. Others began ferrying the injured to nearby clinics using private vehicles while waiting for the police and ambulance crews to arrive.
Pavillion Bus Crash in Madziva Leaves Several Feared Dead
Unconfirmed reports suggest that at least a handful of passengers may have died on the spot, while several others sustained serious injuries. However, authorities are yet to release an official casualty figure.
By mid-morning, police officers from Bindura and members of the Zimbabwe National Army had cordoned off the crash site to allow rescue operations and investigations to proceed. Ambulances from nearby hospitals, including Madziva and Bindura General Hospital, were seen ferrying the injured to medical facilities.
One survivor, who declined to be named, said the bus had been travelling at a “reasonable speed” when the accident occurred but claimed the vehicle appeared to have been overloaded.
“The bus was full, and some people were standing in the aisle. I heard a loud bang, and suddenly the bus started swerving. Before we knew it, it had overturned. People were screaming everywhere,” the survivor recounted, visibly shaken.
The Pavillion Bus Company, a well-known operator servicing routes across Mashonaland Central and Harare, is yet to issue an official statement regarding the crash. However, sources within the transport sector have raised concerns about the state of public transport vehicles, citing poor maintenance and worn-out tyres as common causes of such fatal accidents.
Road safety experts have long warned that tyre bursts remain one of the leading causes of bus accidents in Zimbabwe, especially during the early morning hours when roads are still wet and visibility is poor. In addition, overloaded buses and overworked drivers have been cited as key risk factors contributing to road carnage.
Transport analyst and road safety advocate, Mr. Patrick Chari, said the latest accident was another painful reminder of the need for stricter vehicle inspections and improved highway policing.
“Many operators continue to put profit before safety. The condition of tyres, brakes, and suspension systems on some buses is shocking,” Chari said. “Authorities must increase random spot checks and ensure that only roadworthy vehicles are allowed to operate.”
The Bulawayo–Harare–Mt Darwin route has recorded several accidents in recent years, often blamed on speeding, fatigue, and mechanical faults. In one of the worst incidents in 2023, a ZUPCO-affiliated bus collided with a haulage truck near Glendale, killing over a dozen people.
As of midday today, emergency services were still working to retrieve bodies from the wreckage, while families of passengers flocked to the scene and local hospitals seeking information about their loved ones. Social media platforms were flooded with messages of grief and prayers for the victims, as photos of the mangled bus circulated online.
The ZRP is expected to release an official statement once the rescue operation is complete and a full assessment of casualties has been made. Preliminary investigations will focus on whether the bus was roadworthy and if the driver took proper safety precautions before departure.
As Zimbabwe mourns yet another heartbreaking road disaster, calls are growing for the government and transport operators to take immediate action to improve road safety and prevent further loss of innocent lives.
Source- Herald
