DRIVING at night is frightening enough on its own, but in Bulawayo, there are certain streets where rumours of a ghostly presence linger.
Reports of a female ghost targeting male motorists by stopping them and disappearing after being given a lift have sent shivers down the spines of many.
According to motorists, the female ghost is often seen at night near the intersections of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and Connaught and Masotsha Ndlovu Avenues in the city centre.
One such terrifying encounter was shared by Mlungisi Gumede from North End suburb.
He claimed that he picked up a strikingly beautiful woman at the intersection of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and Connaught Avenue, but she mysteriously vanished from his car near Campbell Avenue, close to Athlone Cemetery.
He said as they were talking, the woman requested to be dropped off near Athlone Park Cemetery.
However, as they approached the designated spot, she vanished into thin air, leaving Gumede paralysed with fear.
“I was coming from town around 9pm when I saw a woman standing at the corner of Joshua Nkomo Street and Connaught. She was extremely beautiful, decently dressed in a long dress and a hoodie.
“She looked desperate as she stopped me. At first, I was hesitant because that area is known for being frequented by ladies of the night but her appearance and demeanour made me think she was in trouble.
“When I asked her where she was going, she said she needed a ride to Campbell Ave in North End, the last street before the New Athlone Cemetery. As we drove, we talked, but just before we reached her destination, she vanished without a trace. It was a terrifying experience,” said Gumede.
Another chilling tale comes from a pirate taxi driver who identified himself as Banda from Sauerstown suburb and claimed he witnessed the ghostly woman’s haunting presence first-hand.
He said while transporting passengers late one night, he picked up a woman near Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue and as they drove, the woman mysteriously disappeared before reaching her destination, leaving him and the passengers terrified.
“It was around 11pm when I was driving home with some passengers I had picked up at 3rd Avenue. As it was late, my car wasn’t fully occupied. While driving along, as I reached Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue, a woman flagged me down. I didn’t suspect anything, as she was alone.
“When she got inside, she greeted us and thanked me for stopping to give her a lift. While chatting, she mentioned she would be getting off soon before Sauerstown Police Station.
“Just before we passed the Anthlone Cemetery, one of the passengers screamed, saying the woman we had picked up had vanished. I couldn’t believe it, and when I stopped the car, I realised she had indeed disappeared. The incident was terrifying, leaving everyone in the car shocked and bewildered,” said Banda.
Hilton Nyathi (41) from Harrisvalle suburb and a frequent passenger of late-night pirate taxis, corroborated Banda’s claims.
He recalled a time when he witnessed a woman being picked up under similar circumstances. The woman vanished without a trace near Athlone Park Cemetery, leaving a chilling impression on everyone present.
“I once witnessed a woman being picked up by a motorist under similar circumstances. They drove towards Athlone Park Cemetery, but the woman vanished without a trace, leaving us all terrified,” he recalled.
A commercial s$x worker who identifies herself as Nolly and operating near the flats close to the intersections, in question, shared a chilling tale about a woman who once haunted the streets at night.
According to Nolly, the woman was a s$x worker who was tragically m_rdered by a client and buried at Athlone Cemetery.
“It is believed that her restless spirit now seeks revenge on men, appearing to unsuspecting motorists and vanishing into thin air. The woman’s spirit is often seen near the intersection of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and Connaught Avenue or Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue, particularly at night.
“Any man who picks up the woman risks a terrifying encounter, as she has the power to disappear and reappear, leaving her victims bewildered and frightened. This issue is now disturbing our business as motorists are no longer stopping to entertain us,” she said.
