A recent collision involving a luxury tourist train near Gwanda has raised fresh concerns about safety on Zimbabwe’s ageing railway infrastructure. The April 2025 accident, which involved a Rovos Rail luxury passenger train and a freight train operated by Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway (BBR), resulted in injuries to several crew members and passengers.
According to NRZ spokesperson Andrew Kunambura, preliminary investigations point to a serious lapse in operational coordination. A BBR goods train was mistakenly allowed onto the line while the Rovos Rail train, which had derailed earlier, was awaiting rescue. This miscommunication led directly to the collision. Kunambura described the error as a breakdown in communication protocol.
While Kunambura defended NRZ’s safety record, citing that this was the first incident involving two trains in over two decades, the collision has sparked concerns about rail safety in Zimbabwe. The country’s decades-old infrastructure and limited resources have raised questions about the ability to maintain and upgrade the rail network.
NRZ is increasingly concerned about accidents involving the public, particularly at level crossings and near tracks in urban areas. Kunambura highlighted the risks posed by pedestrians wearing earphones near train lines and drivers trying to beat trains across level crossings. He called for increased public awareness and urged both motorists and pedestrians to respect railway safety rules.
NRZ has stepped up education campaigns across the country to reduce accidents. Kunambura warned that trains cannot stop as easily as cars, and once a driver sees someone on the tracks, it’s often already too late. With the recent incidents, including a coal train fire in Hwange, NRZ is working to prevent future tragedies and ensure the safety of both passengers and the public.
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