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Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - Web posted at 9:08:11 pm GMT

Namibian transport pioneer dies

PROMINENT Oshakati businessman Isaiah Angala Shipiki passed away yesterday in Windhoek after a short illness. He was 65 years old.

Shipiki died at his daughter's residence in Academia before he was due to undergo an operation for prostate cancer today at a Windhoek hospital.

Shipiki was one of the pioneers of the transport industry in the North when he started his Shipiki bus service in the 1970s which transported passengers between Oshakati and Windhoek.

He expanded his services to Oranjemund as a result of the demand for transport from contract labourers working at the southern town.

His bus network later went on to cover Grootfontein, Otavi, Tsumeb Otjiwarongo, Luederitz and Keetmanshoop.

He was born at Ekamba in Uukwambi and attended St Mary's missionary school at Odibo before moving to the old Augustineum school at Okahandja.

He served in the former Owambo administration at Ondangwa before Independence and retired in the 1980s to concentrate on his transport business.

He is survived by his wife Hendrina Shipiki and eight children.
Funeral arrangements will be announced today.