At least 27 people were killed after a minibus carrying churchgoers collided head-on with a haulage truck near Chivhu in central Zimbabwe, police reported on Saturday. The crash occurred at around 1830 GMT on Friday, about 140 kilometres south of the capital Harare. The minibus was carrying worshippers travelling to a conference when it collided with the truck.

According to police, the foreign-registered haulage truck was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with the minibus. Both vehicles were carrying an unknown number of passengers at the time of the crash. Seven people were injured and were reported among those affected by the collision, while the authorities confirmed the death toll had reached at least 27.

Footage shared by Zimbabwe's public broadcaster ZBC showed the minibus severely damaged and charred following the collision. The truck came to rest on the opposite side of the road, while the crash occurred along a relatively remote and flat stretch surrounded by low vegetation and open terrain. The circumstances surrounding the movement of the vehicles and the full number of passengers remained under investigation.

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The accident adds to concerns over road safety in Zimbabwe, where serious traffic crashes occur regularly. Roads in the country have faced years of underfunding and neglect, with potholes and poor road conditions contributing to difficult driving conditions. Driving standards have also been cited as a concern, while privately operated minibus taxis, commonly known as kombis, remain an important form of everyday transportation.

Minibuses are widely used for passenger transport in Zimbabwe but have also faced criticism over issues including overloading. The latest crash follows several other fatal road accidents involving minibuses and haulage trucks in the country. In April, at least 18 people were killed when a minibus caught fire on a highway in southern Zimbabwe, while earlier that month a woman and her five children died after their vehicle collided with a haulage truck on a highway connecting Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The latest incident is likely to renew attention on road safety, vehicle occupancy and driving practices on Zimbabwe's major highways. With 27 fatalities reported in a single crash and seven people injured, the collision near Chivhu ranks among the country's recent deadly road accidents. Authorities are continuing to assess the circumstances of the crash and the full impact on those travelling to the church conference.

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