Death stalks Zimbabwe's highways. Bus crashes have killed thousands in recent years, leaving many afraid to travel.
The causes mix clear facts with local beliefs. Bad drivers, worn roads, and tired workers lead to crashes. Yet some think evil spirits play a role.
Last April, 17 people died near Odzi when their bus flipped. The driver had swerved from a truck. A month later, 20 more died when two buses hit each other near Chivhu.
The toll keeps rising. In 2018, a bus fire killed 42 people near Gwanda. That same year, 50 died in a crash at Rusape.
President Mnangagwa's team has fixed many roads. They've made the path from Harare to South Africa better. The Mutare road got wider. But crashes still happen on these good roads.
Bus companies often prioritize profit. They pack buses full. Drivers work long shifts with little rest and many speed to keep tight schedules.
"We begged him to slow down," said one crash survivor. "He kept going fast. Then we crashed."
Some blame dark magic for the deaths. They think bus owners use spells to hurt their rivals. In 2018, one bus line found strange things near their buses before they broke down.
A crash in Gokwe killed 30 people in 2022. People on the bus said they saw a ghost. "It stood in white clothes on the road," one said. "The driver turned fast, and we fell."
The police watch speeds more closely today. They check buses for safety. Schools teach about safe roads.
These crashes break families. The Moyos lost their son in the Gwanda fire. "He had just found work," his mother said. "The fire took all his dreams."
Zimbabwe must fix this problem. Better roads help, and safe drivers matter more. People need to trust buses again.
Right here, on these wide roads, life hangs by a thread. People pray before each trip. They hope to dodge bad drivers - and maybe darker things they can't see.
The causes mix clear facts with local beliefs. Bad drivers, worn roads, and tired workers lead to crashes. Yet some think evil spirits play a role.
Last April, 17 people died near Odzi when their bus flipped. The driver had swerved from a truck. A month later, 20 more died when two buses hit each other near Chivhu.
The toll keeps rising. In 2018, a bus fire killed 42 people near Gwanda. That same year, 50 died in a crash at Rusape.
President Mnangagwa's team has fixed many roads. They've made the path from Harare to South Africa better. The Mutare road got wider. But crashes still happen on these good roads.
Bus companies often prioritize profit. They pack buses full. Drivers work long shifts with little rest and many speed to keep tight schedules.
"We begged him to slow down," said one crash survivor. "He kept going fast. Then we crashed."
Some blame dark magic for the deaths. They think bus owners use spells to hurt their rivals. In 2018, one bus line found strange things near their buses before they broke down.
A crash in Gokwe killed 30 people in 2022. People on the bus said they saw a ghost. "It stood in white clothes on the road," one said. "The driver turned fast, and we fell."
The police watch speeds more closely today. They check buses for safety. Schools teach about safe roads.
These crashes break families. The Moyos lost their son in the Gwanda fire. "He had just found work," his mother said. "The fire took all his dreams."
Zimbabwe must fix this problem. Better roads help, and safe drivers matter more. People need to trust buses again.
Right here, on these wide roads, life hangs by a thread. People pray before each trip. They hope to dodge bad drivers - and maybe darker things they can't see.
