By Simbarashe Muparaganda
BULAWAYO- The early morning cold still lingered in the air when tragedy struck at the Mahatshula rail crossing just outside Bulawayo main railway station.
A commuter omnibus with passengers from the medium density suburb never made it past the tracks.
Moments after crossing into the unguarded rail line, the vehicle was hit by a freight train transporting coal from Hwange to Harare.
The impact ripped through the kombi, killing three on the spot, including one pupil.
Other passengers were rushed to United Bulawayo Hospitals(UBH), some with life-threatening injuries.
For 45-year-old Memory Ncube, whose 12-year-old daughter, Thandose, was among the dead, the morning still replays in her mind like a nightmare loop.
“The driver sped past two vehicles that had stopped to give way to the approaching train, which was already sounding the horn. The scene was terrible as the train crushed the vehicle,” she explained.
This is not the first tragedy at this very crossing nor is it likely to be the last.
Across the country, rail crossing accidents have become a silent epidemic in recent months.
Across the globe, regardless of country or culture, the rail industry faces common challenges at level crossings and along railway tracks.
The vast majority of collisions occur because individuals take deliberate risks or make poor decisions, often due to distraction, habit, or simple oversight.
While they rarely make front-page news unless a high death toll is involved, these incidents have claimed many lives in recent years.
According to statistics released by National Railways of Zimbabwe(NRZ), during the first half of this year, 13 level crossing accidents had been recorded, resulting in 13 injuries.
Additionally, the rail agency added that 10 people were hit by trains while walking on or near the tracks, leading to four deaths and six injuries.
“By comparison, the entire previous year saw 13 level crossing accidents resulting in one death and 26 injuries, while five people were killed and eight injured after being struck by trains,” said the agency.
NRZ warned that if the current trend continues, this year’s figures are likely to surpass last year’s totals.
“These statistics paint a grim picture and underscore the need for motorists and pedestrians to exercise extreme caution on railway tracks,” said NRZ.
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) says millions of near misses and over 6,000 deaths occur each year in the world at level crossings where a road and railway tracks intersect.
“The loss of life and injury are the most alarming results we think of, but accidents between road users and trains often entail significant economic costs to railway operators, infrastructure managers, and manufacturers.
“Wider social impacts of level crossing crashes can also be devastating. It is not uncommon for school buses carrying children to be hit by trains.
“ The deaths and injuries of youngsters from the same school may burden communities with pain and trauma for a long time” said Eva Molnar, Director of the UNECE Transport Division.
A routine check shows that most of these accidents occur at unguarded crossings, many of which were installed decades ago and have not been upgraded since.
NRZ operates over 3,400 km of track across the country, yet only a few or none of level crossings are equipped with barriers or warning lights.
In urban areas like Harare,Mutare,Kwekwe, Gweru and Kadoma some crossings are still relying solely on faded signage. The traffic lights are no longer working.
In Bulawayo places such as Cowdry Park, Sizinda,Mpopoma, and along the busy Bulawayo–Hwange rail line, residents have grown accustomed to the danger.
“We know where to stop and look both ways. We have seen many people and motorist hit by trains.” said Raphel Ncube, a vendor who operates near a crossing in Cowdry Park.
Following a series of accidents, NRZ plans to upgrade technology at rail level crossings in response to a surge in accidents caused by motorist negligence and disregard for safety regulations.
The rail agency, Communications and Public Affairs manager Andrew Kunambura said most incidents were preventable, blaming motorists for ignoring basic safety rules.
“What we are witnessing is a disturbing trend—drivers ignoring the rules, failing to stop, failing to check for oncoming trains, and assuming they can outrun locomotives. This kind of negligence is costing lives,” NRZ public affairs manager said.
To address the problem, Kunambura said, the rail agency is considering boom barrier technology, starting with the busiest crossings.
Boom barriers are automated or manually operated gates installed at railway crossings to block road traffic when a train approaches.
They consist of a horizontal arm (boom) that lowers to prevent vehicles from crossing the tracks, reducing accidents caused by reckless drivers.
“Boom technology is the way to go, targeting high-traffic areas first due to the vast number of crossings on our network. We successfully piloted this in the Lowveld for sugarcane transport, but cost constraints delayed a nationwide rollout,” he explained.
Kunambura also highlighted the challenge of vandalised signage, noting that the NRZ has a continuous replacement programme in partnership with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ).
To combat vandalism, Kunambura said NRZ has deployed drones, motorbikes, and stricter penalties for offenders.
The NRZ spokesperson urged drivers to stop, look, and listen at crossings, stressing that motorists should stop whenever they see a train coming and allow it to pass and later proceed safely.
Alongside these measures, education and awareness initiatives play a crucial role in promoting safe behaviour and, if necessary, enforcement measures may also be taken to counter inappropriate conduct near tracks and crossings.
NRZ is also ramping up public awareness campaigns, particularly in high-risk areas.
But transport specialists and safety experts stressed that fixing these challenges requires political will, not assigning blame.
Bruce Maseko, an independent infrastructural specialist said simple fixes like rumble strips, solar powered warning lights and community education campaigns could reduce deaths and injuries significantly.
“Simple solutions are there but require coordinated implementation which is lacking at the moment amongst stakeholders,” he said.
Neighbouring South Africa also faces a significant safety challenge due to its vast network of over 7,500 level crossings, which include farm crossings and crossings on national, provincial, municipal, and private roads, posing a hazard to both road and rail users.
To improve safety and enforcement, particularly at these crossings, South Africa introduced the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act.
This law imposes higher penalties specifically for motorists who disobey rules at level crossings and implements a demerit point system, aiming to improve overall road safety and streamline traffic fine management.
However, to improve safety in the country, Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Affairs Judith Ncube advocated for public-private partnerships (PPPs) to construct fly overs at all railroad level crossings in the province to allow free movement of trains and motorists as well reducing carnage.
“People are committing suicide at railroad level crossing. Bulawayo Metropolitan province is worried about this phenomenon and as a result advocate for construction of ramps outside level crossing to deter negligence drivers,” noted the Minister during the NRZ Safety Week commemorations recently.
She, however, said construction of ramps was a short-term solution but advocated for PPP`s to construct fly overs on railroad crossing.
The Minister also bemoaned a surge in suicidal cases at railroad crossings in the province, advising people to seek counselling.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe(TSCZ) managing director Munesu Munodawafa said to reduce carnage at rail crossings, the Council will put up notices and billboards on selected railroad crossings.
“I am glad the Council board has authorised the move as a contingency measure to curb accidents at rail level crossings,” said Munodawafa, adding, “we believe if we do it now, we can save lives.”
As rail traffic is expected to increase under the government’s reindustrialisation drive particularly for freight transport, the dangers will only multiply if no investment is made into crossing safety.
For families like the Ncube`s, change cannot come soon enough.
“We don’t want anyone else to suffer like we did. Safety at rail crossing should be prioritised.
“She was just a child who was going to school. She should be in class not in a grave,” she said.
