At least 6 Highlanders Football Club supporters were reported dead and 4 others seriously injured after a road traffic accident near Mbalabala on Sunday night, turning a joyful journey home from Barbourfields Stadium into another painful chapter for the Bosso family.
The crash happened on August 23, 2026, along the Bulawayo–Gwanda Highway as the supporters were travelling home to Filabusi after watching Highlanders defeat Herentals 2–0 at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo. The crash occurred at about 9 pm, according to reports from the scene. The accident took place near Amazon, about 15 kilometres before Filabusi.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mhlangano Moyo confirmed that 6 people died at the scene and said 4 others were injured. He said an Insiza Rural District Council-trained rescue team responded and helped extricate casualties trapped in the wreckage.
“This accident happened 15km before Filabusi Amazon area. It was a Nissan NV350 kombi with 10 passengers heading to Filabusi from the Highlanders match. The vehicle rammed at the rear of a tipper truck,” Moyo said.
The occupants of the tipper truck escaped without injuries. A hatchback and a haulage truck were also involved, according to information gathered from the scene. The precise chain of events leading to the crash was still being established as police, emergency crews and other responders worked around the wreckage.
Rescuers who arrived soon afterwards helped remove injured people and send them for treatment. At least 4 people were reported to have suffered serious injuries, while the bodies of those who died remained at the scene as police began their work.
One woman who took part in the rescue effort described the scene in graphic terms. “We arrived at the scene soon after the accident and it was horrific, I have never seen such in my life. You could see brains gushing out from one of the victims and when police arrived we had already assisted some of them and loaded them in an ADV van which rushed them to hospital, I could count four,” she said.
The supporters had left Bulawayo after a match that gave Highlanders and their followers reason to celebrate. Substitute Marvin Sibanda scored twice in the second half as Bosso beat Herentals at Barbourfields. He broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute when he rose to meet Mbeba’s cross and headed the ball past the goalkeeper. Sibanda then struck again from close range shortly before the final whistle to complete his brace.
The result also gave coach Benjani Mwaruwari a winning return after illness. Celebrations began almost immediately after the match, with supporters moving into the city centre and along Fife Street. Videos posted after the game showed fans enjoying the victory before vehicles began leaving Bulawayo for different towns and districts.
Among those on the road that night were the Filabusi-bound supporters in the Nissan Caravan. By the time news of the accident began spreading, the mood around the club had changed completely. Friends and relatives started seeking information while emergency workers continued attending to the crash.
The names of those who died and those injured had not been released by the time of publication. Police were also expected to give a full account of how the 3 vehicles became involved and to confirm the final number of people who had been travelling in the Caravan.
Their Ford Raptor was involved in a collision at Lochard in Insiza District, near Mbembesi, about 50 kilometres from Bulawayo on the Harare–Bulawayo Highway. Initial accounts said the vehicle struck a cow at about 8 pm, side-swiped a bus travelling towards Harare and overturned. The Bulawayo Fire Brigade was called to help recover the bodies from the wreckage.
Highlanders later confirmed the loss of its 3 senior officials in a statement. “Our three esteemed club officials tragically lost their lives in a road accident while returning from our league fixture against ZPC Kariba on Thursday evening, 23 July 2026,” the club said.
The club also paid tribute to the men’s service and influence. “They were far more than club officials. They were the architects of the Club’s vision, the guardians of our values, and father figures to so many within the Highlanders Football Club family. Their leadership, wisdom, dedication, and unwavering commitment to Bosso will never be forgotten,” the statement read.
Mhlophe, who owned Nokel Security, was serving his second spell as Highlanders chairman. Siziba was a superintendent in the Zimbabwe Republic Police, while Khoza, who was responsible for the club’s finances, owned a school supplies company. The government later granted State-assisted funerals to all 4 victims in recognition of their contribution to sport and the community.
Following the July deaths, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged families, clubs and other organisations to reduce night travel. “The Zimbabwe Republic Police totally discourages Zimbabweans from travelling or driving at night. Instead, families, football teams, individual drivers and institutions should plan journeys to curtail road carnage,” he said.
Police said reduced visibility made night driving more dangerous, particularly on highways where cattle and donkeys can stray onto the road. They also appealed to farmers to prevent livestock from wandering onto major routes or grazing along road verges.
The July crash was not the first mass-casualty accident to hit Highlanders in 2026. On 3 April this year, 7 club supporters died at Mawabeni in Umzingwane along the Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road. They were among people gathered at the scene of an earlier collision when a truck drove into the stationary vehicles and pedestrians.
Police said that earlier pile-up began when a Toyota Probox struck a Nissan March from behind. Both vehicles stopped in the road and their drivers and passengers got out to inspect the damage. A Toyota Baby Quantum then approached at high speed and struck people at the scene, injuring 3. Moments later, a truck hit the stopped vehicles and those standing nearby.
Commissioner Nyathi gave the sequence in a detailed account: “The victims were at an accident scene involving three other vehicles – a Nissan March, Toyota Probox and a Toyota Baby Quantum.
“The Nissan March vehicle, which had three passengers on board, had been hit from behind by a Toyota Probox vehicle and both vehicles stopped in the roadway. The drivers and passengers disembarked to assess the damage.
“The third vehicle, a Toyota Baby Quantum, then approached at high speed and struck people at the scene resulting in three people being injured. Moments later, a truck approached and rammed into the stationary vehicles and pedestrians, killing five people on the spot while two others died upon admission at Esigodini District Hospital.”
The April deaths were confirmed by Highlanders and later acknowledged by the government during a post-Cabinet briefing. They occurred during a period in which several fatal crashes were recorded on Zimbabwe’s roads over the Easter holiday.
VIDEO: Highlanders fan on a motorbike atop a pickup which is driving him around after Bosso beat Herentals 2 nil at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo. The final whistle had barely gone when the celebrations spilled onto Fife Street.
The history of supporters dying while travelling after Highlanders matches goes back further. In April 2019, a Bosso fan died in a head-on collision near Valley Tavern after Highlanders drew 0–0 with CAPS United at Barbourfields Stadium. Other occupants of the 2 vehicles were injured.
Police said a Toyota Regius travelling towards Gwanda tried to overtake and entered the lane of an oncoming Toyota Hilux heading to Bulawayo. The Regius driver suffered serious head and neck injuries and died at the scene. The Hilux driver was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital with head injuries, while passengers from the 2 vehicles were treated at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Highlanders supporter Thulani Moyo said the deceased had watched the match and later visited Highlanders Sports Club before travelling home to Habane suburb in Esigodini. He appealed to football supporters to be careful after matches. “We are really hurt that he lost his life in such a painful way. As supporters we really want to emphasise to other supporters that whenever they go to watch matches be it home or away they should avoid drinking when they know they will be driving.”
Another deadly accident occurred in September 2016 on the Esigodini–Falcon Road. A Nissan pick-up carrying 7 passengers left the road near Esigodini Business Centre and struck a tree. Police said 5 passengers died at the scene, while a sixth died after being admitted to Esigodini District Hospital. Two other people were seriously injured and taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals.
That crash happened on the same day Highlanders beat Dynamos 2–1 at Barbourfields. The victims were widely believed to have been Bosso supporters, although their exact movements before the accident were not fully established at the time.
The latest Mbalabala accident therefore follows a series of road deaths that have repeatedly touched Highlanders supporters and officials. This time, the victims had set out for Bulawayo to watch their team, celebrated a 2–0 victory and were heading back towards Filabusi when tragedy struck.
Police investigations were continuing, with authorities expected to release the victims’ names, the final casualty figures and a full account of the collision.