Twenty passengers narrowly avoided tragedy when the bus they were traveling in collided with bridge pillars while the driver attempted to overtake other vehicles.

Inspector Chiratidzo Dube, spokesperson for Matabeleland South police, confirmed that the accident occurred on the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road and left nine passengers injured. The bus driver fled the scene following the crash.

“On August 25, 2025, at about 7 PM, Mr. Makhakhahuhle Dube was operating a Yutong bus heading east towards Lutumba Business Centre, carrying 20 passengers,” Inspector Dube explained.

“At the 276-kilometer mark, he tried to overtake two vehicles that were closely following each other on the left side of the road near a bridge. During this maneuver, the bus struck the bridge’s concrete pillars, coming to rest precariously with its left wheels perched on top of the pillars. Nine passengers sustained injuries,” she added.

The police at ZRP Beitbridge traffic responded promptly to the report and attended the scene. Injured passengers were transported to Beitbridge District Hospital, where four were treated and discharged while five remained admitted. The driver could not be located as he escaped after the incident.

Inspector Dube urged motorists to refrain from speeding and attempting risky overtaking maneuvers, emphasizing the importance of following traffic laws to prevent such accidents.

“We call on anyone with information about the driver’s whereabouts to contact their nearest police station,” she concluded.

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