A South African-registered truck transporting steel coils overturned at the newly-built Trabablas Interchange in Harare on Wednesday morning, blocking the Glen Norah off-ramp and causing major traffic delays.
According to witnesses, the truck failed to negotiate the sharp bend on the interchange, flipping onto its side and spilling its heavy load of steel coils across the road. Emergency services rushed to the scene, where paramedics treated the injured driver before transferring him to hospital for further care.
The accident partially obstructed traffic heading towards Glen Norah, forcing long tailbacks and diversions during peak hours. Authorities also had to deal with diesel spillage from the truck. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
It is not yet clear how the Zimbabwe Ministry of Transport will respond to the incident. Last month, the ministry made headlines when it impounded a truck involved in a similar incident at the same interchange.
Read | Trabablas Interchange: Zimbabwe Opens First-Ever Multi-Level Interchange
According to a ZimLive report, the previous crash occurred on July 8 when a truck owned by Tika Chem Investments lost its load of granite stone, damaging steel guard rails and newly-constructed pavement. The transport ministry directed the truck owner to undertake full repairs at their own cost and ordered that the truck be held until the work was completed and the Vehicle Inspection Department confirmed its roadworthiness.
The move sparked legal debate, with lawyer Obey Shava telling ZimLive the ministry’s instruction was “illegal” and not supported by law. “Ministry officials should desist from making emotional and costly decisions. Due process must be followed,” Shava said at the time.
Whether the same approach will be applied to this latest crash remains to be seen. The Trabablas Interchange, a major upgrade aimed at easing congestion on Harare’s busy roads, has been in operation for less than a year but has already seen multiple heavy truck incidents.
SA truck overturns at Trabablas Interchange. Driver hospitalized pic.twitter.com/5q1VWvYAVc
— SA Trucker (@rsa_trucker) August 13, 2025
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