A horrific head-on collision involving a heavy truck travelling from South Africa has claimed the lives of 27 people in Zimbabwe, with the country’s government declaring a State of Disaster following the tragedy.
The crash happened at around 8:30pm on Friday, August 28, 2026, on the Harare–Masvingo Highway near Honeyspruit Bridge in Chikomba District, Mashonaland East Province.
According to Zimbabwean authorities, the heavy truck from a Durban-based trucking company was transporting mining equipment from South Africa when it collided head-on with a commuter omnibus carrying members of the African Apostolic (Mwazha) Church.
The kombi was travelling from Dema towards Ndarikure in Mvuma when the two vehicles collided.
The impact triggered a massive fire, trapping several people inside the kombi. Some of the victims were reportedly killed in the crash while others suffered fatal burns.
Zimbabwe’s Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said 27 people had been confirmed dead by Saturday, August 29.
Twenty-four victims died at the crash scene, while three others later succumbed to their injuries at Chivhu General Hospital.
Seven more people were critically injured and remain in hospital.
The driver of the kombi was among those killed in the collision.
The truck driver survived the crash but sustained injuries and was transported by ambulance to Harare for further medical treatment.
The scale of the crash required a major emergency response, with Civil Protection teams working alongside members of the public to rescue survivors and recover victims from the wreckage.
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The fire was extinguished by a fire tender, while small cranes were used during the recovery operation.
The heavily damaged truck and the mining equipment it was carrying blocked the entire carriageway before a heavy-duty crane was brought in to clear the scene.
The highway has since been reopened to traffic.
The deceased have been taken to Chivhu General Hospital mortuary, where identification and post-mortem examinations are being conducted.
Authorities have not yet released the names of those killed, saying the identities will only be made public once the identification process has been completed and verified.
Following the devastating loss of life, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a State of Disaster to allow government to mobilise resources and coordinate assistance for the affected families and survivors.
The circumstances that led to the head-on collision have not yet been fully established, and authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the crash.
For now, the focus remains on the 27 lives lost and the families and church community left to deal with the aftermath of one of Zimbabwe’s deadliest recent road crashes.
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