Okahandja-Otjiwarongo road claims another life

Another accident on the road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo claimed the life of a woman who was a passenger in a truck yesterday morning. This follows an accident on Tuesday night between a bus carrying Namdeb employees and a truck in which seven people died and ten were injured. Police and Namdeb yesterday released some of the names of the deceased. The latest accident occurred at the T-junction just north of Okahandja at around 07:30 yesterday. The Otjozondjupa police spokesperson, Sergeant Maureen Mbeha, said a truck belonging to Blaauw Transport overturned and the passenger died on the spot. The woman was identified as Rachel Garo-Oas, 49. She was travelling from Otjiwarongo to Windhoek. Mbeha said the driver escaped unhurt. According to the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund’s spokesperson, Catherine Shipushu, the overturning truck hit a pedestrian who was standing next to the road. The pedestrian is receiving treatment at the Okahandja State Hospital. Meanwhile, the police have identified all but one of the seven men who died in a bus crash between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo on Tuesday evening. A bus transporting Namdeb employees from Tsumeb to Oranjemund collided with a truck carrying dairy products and fruit juices for Namibia Dairies. The accident occurred 25 km north of Okahandja at about 19:30 and left ten people injured. All those who died were men. The identified victims are truck driver Fablius Nangaku, 40, bus driver Robert Bekker, 43, Hendrik van Wyk, 54, Andalika Vilho, 59, Simon Shivolo, 39 and Gabriel Philipus, 51. The other deceased has been identified but their name cannot be released because their families have not yet been informed. Mbeha appealed to the public to help with identifying the remaining body at the Windhoek police mortuary. She said no identification documents were found on the body of this man, believed to be the co-driver of the truck. She warned all drivers to adhere to road rules and not to overtake at blind spots in order to avoid unnecessary accidents. Four other Namdeb employees Wilbard Shimoshili, Enos Enkongo, Andreas Aktofel and Johannes Mbenzi remain hospitalised with various injuries. Another four employees who were in the accident have been discharged from hospital. Namdeb’s Chief Executive Officer, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, said yesterday: “Arrangements are underway for all affected employees to receive counselling. The offer of counselling will also be extended to the families of the deceased. Furthermore, we will continue to provide all the necessary support to the affected employees and their families, as we try to find strength to try to come to terms with this tragedy”.