Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has, with immediate effect, suspended the operating licence of Urban Connect, whose bus collided head-on with a haulage truck in Beitbridge last Thursday, killing 26 people and leaving many others injured.
This followed the discovery that the bus owner neither had valid passenger insurance nor a valid route permit, while the driver had not been retested as required.
In a statement yesterday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the bus company did not meet all expectations of the law.
“Pursuant to the fatal accident which occurred on February 13, 2025 at the 263km peg along the Masvingo—Beitbridge Road, which claimed 25 lives and caused serious injuries of many passengers, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has established that Urban Connect Holdings Pvt Ltd was not compliant with the country’s regulations on road traffic and safety management,” he said.
“The bus, registration number AGL2474 belonging to this company, did not have a valid passenger insurance policy as prescribed under Section 38(b)(I) of the Road Traffic Act.
“In addition, the vehicle did not have a valid route permit as prescribed in Section 12 of the Road Motor Transportation Act.
“Similarly, our inference is that the driver of this bus was not compliant with the re-test requirement prescribed under Section 5 of Statutory Instrument 168 of 2006,” he said.
Minister Mhona said the above violations by the bus operator were a serious breach of the terms and conditions of the operator’s license.
As a result, he directed the Commissioner of Road Motor Transportation to invoke provisions of the Road Motor Transportation Act to suspend, with immediate effect, Urban Connect (Pvt) Ltd, from operating all its omnibuses on all the routes for six months to allow further investigations.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and on my own behalf, I convey our heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families.
“We mourn the demise of innocent men and women, most of whom were breadwinners who perished in this crash. Our thoughts are with all the families of the people who were killed in the crash and our prayers are with those injured as they continue to receive treatment and care. We wish them speedy recuperation,” Minister Mhona said.
The minister urged all road traffic law enforcement agencies to be on high alert to enforce the road traffic laws and ensure the safety and security of all road users.
