The Government has launched an investigation into the collision between a Rovos Rail luxury passenger train and a Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway (BBR) goods train, which occurred on Good Friday.
Authorities are
also working tirelessly to repair the damaged railway infrastructure along the
Bulawayo-Beitbridge line.
The head-on
collision, which happened at around 7AM in Hantinya Village, just outside
Gwanda Town, rendered the railway line impassable and disrupted a key tourism
corridor that brings international travellers into Zimbabwe.
The impact of
the crash caused one of the Rovos Rail coaches to derail and overturn
approximately five metres from the track, trapping a crew member inside. Gwanda
Fire Brigade personnel conducted a two-hour rescue operation to extricate the
injured man. Another coach veered off the rails into nearby bushland, while a
third coach rammed into the one ahead of it.
The luxury
train, operated by a private company based at Capital Park Station in Pretoria,
South Africa, had departed on Thursday en route to Victoria Falls, with arrival
scheduled for Sunday.
Tourism and
Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi visited the accident scene on
Saturday to assess the damage and confirmed that efforts were underway to
remove the wreckage and repair the line.
“I’m here with
a team to assess the extent of the damage at the accident scene. As a ministry,
it’s in our interest to do this because, as part of our national strategy, we
are leveraging tourism to foster positive relations with other countries,” she
said.
“The Rovos
train had nationals from several countries, including Canada, the USA, the UK,
Denmark, Switzerland and South Africa. We stand in solidarity and sympathise
with them, and His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa is doing everything
possible to ensure the Rovos train is removed and returned to service as soon
as possible.”
Minister Rwodzi
noted that the Rovos Rail service plays a crucial role in Zimbabwe’s tourism
strategy, connecting the country to international markets through South Africa.
She commended Rovos Rail for its positive contribution to the local tourism
industry and its collaboration with domestic tourism operators.
She emphasised
that the Government, through her ministry, the Ministry of Transport and
Infrastructure Development, and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ),
remained on standby to provide all necessary assistance.
Minister Rwodzi
also praised the swift response by all stakeholders involved in the rescue
efforts.
“While
investigations are ongoing, Rovos must be supported to continue its operations.
This train route is cherished by many international tourists, particularly
those from the USA and Canada, who prefer rail travel from South Africa to
Victoria Falls. It is in our national interest to ensure that it becomes
operational again as soon as possible,” she said.
“We are
grateful to Rovos for the work they have done, and to our rescue teams. We
always strive to foster positive relationships with other nations through our
hospitality and culture, which is essential to our foreign policy goals.”
The collision
resulted in eight people being hospitalised at Mater Dei Hospital; seven Rovos
Rail crew members and one female tourist from the United States. Injuries
varied in severity, with one South African crew member undergoing a complex
12-hour spinal surgery.
The train was
carrying 47 tourists from several countries, including the USA, Canada,
Denmark, Switzerland and the UK.
On Saturday,
Minister Rwodzi, accompanied by Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution
Minister Judith Ncube, visited the injured at hospital and later met with
uninjured tourists, who were accommodated at a local hotel. She offered
reassurances of full Government support until their recovery.
She revealed
that the visit had been made at the behest of President Mnangagwa, who
expressed deep concern over the incident and directed that the well-being of
the affected tourists be prioritised.
The two
ministers also visited Rovos Rail crew members at a lodge in Gwanda.
Rovos Rail
manager, Mr Louis Jonga, expressed gratitude to Minister Rwodzi and the
Government for their support, saying it had provided immense comfort during a
difficult time. Chronicle
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