A luxury tourist train owned by South Africa’s Rovos Rail collided with a goods train from Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR) service earlier today outside the town of Gwanda.
The Rovos Rail train, which was heading to Victoria Falls, was carrying 47 international tourists when the accident happened. Authorities have confirmed that several people were injured and have been taken to hospital. The exact number of injured passengers has not yet been released.
Local journalist Hopewell Chin’ono shared his views on social media, blaming years of poor maintenance and government mismanagement for the crash.
“I have been repeatedly saying on this page that Zimbabwe’s railway system has become a death trap after years without maintenance due to corruption, incompetence, and Mnangagwa’s cluelessness in running a country,” he wrote.
Chin’ono also expressed concern for the injured, saying they would likely face more challenges in Zimbabwe’s struggling healthcare system, which he described as “a nightmare” for many citizens.
Officials have yet to release a formal statement about the cause of the collision. Investigations are expected to begin soon
