Easter roads claim 17

AT least 17 people died on the country’s roads over the Easter weekend.

The biggest loss of life occurred on the main road between Usakos and Karibib – 11 people, aged between nine and 52, died in a head-one collision along the badly potholed Karibib-Usakos road at around 20h00 on Thursday. A Toyota Tazz carrying five occupants collided with a Toyota bakkie carrying 13 people.Seven passengers from the bakkie and four in the Tazz died.Police have released the names of the deceased: Timotheus Xarageb (52), Gisella Xarages (47), Jacobine Xarages (53), Rachel Namus (9), Abed Gaseb (44), Mata Narib (31), Gerhard Gariseb (30), Daphie Nadia Theron (17), Shamila Adela Meintjies (14), Tomas Astofel (23), Wonderly !Gom-Khaises (15).Their next of kin have been informed.Also on Thursday, a car travelling between Rosh Pinah and Aussenkehr in the South overturned, killing one person.The vehicle had been on its way to the NamWater camp near the Orange River when the driver reportedly lost control of it.The deceased has been identified as Marisa Koekemoer (31).The accident happened at around 03h30, Police reported.At the coast, three people died late on Saturday afternoon when a blue VW Polo sedan collided head-on with another Polo on the road between Swakopmund and Henties Bay.The blue car had allegedly been overtaking another vehicle when it collided with a second Polo approaching from the direction of Henties Bay.Both drivers succumbed to injuries sustained in the accident.The deceased have been identified as Gert Kok (50), CW Kok (52), and Robbie Oberholzer (28).Another road fatality occurred late on Friday afternoon when the driver of a vehicle travelling from Windhoek to Walvis Bay lost control of his vehicle, causing it to overturn.One of the four passengers travelling in the maroon VW Golf died in the Karibib clinic, the Police confirmed yesterday.The deceased has been identified as Werner Hiskia (17).In the final road accident confirmed yesterday, the driver of a white microbus reportedly lost control of his vehicle while travelling between Windhoek and Leonardville on Friday.Six people were travelling in the vehicle, and one died on the scene.The deceased was identified as Fritz Haoseb (35).During the same period last year, 15 people died in road accidents.The big exodus from the coast started early yesterday, with about 370 vehicles leaving Swakopmund between noon and 13h00.A Toyota Tazz carrying five occupants collided with a Toyota bakkie carrying 13 people.Seven passengers from the bakkie and four in the Tazz died.Police have released the names of the deceased: Timotheus Xarageb (52), Gisella Xarages (47), Jacobine Xarages (53), Rachel Namus (9), Abed Gaseb (44), Mata Narib (31), Gerhard Gariseb (30), Daphie Nadia Theron (17), Shamila Adela Meintjies (14), Tomas Astofel (23), Wonderly !Gom-Khaises (15).Their next of kin have been informed.Also on Thursday, a car travelling between Rosh Pinah and Aussenkehr in the South overturned, killing one person.The vehicle had been on its way to the NamWater camp near the Orange River when the driver reportedly lost control of it. The deceased has been identified as Marisa Koekemoer (31).The accident happened at around 03h30, Police reported.At the coast, three people died late on Saturday afternoon when a blue VW Polo sedan collided head-on with another Polo on the road between Swakopmund and Henties Bay.The blue car had allegedly been overtaking another vehicle when it collided with a second Polo approaching from the direction of Henties Bay.Both drivers succumbed to injuries sustained in the accident.The deceased have been identified as Gert Kok (50), CW Kok (52), and Robbie Oberholzer (28).Another road fatality occurred late on Friday afternoon when the driver of a vehicle travelling from Windhoek to Walvis Bay lost control of his vehicle, causing it to overturn.One of the four passengers travelling in the maroon VW Golf died in the Karibib clinic, the Police confirmed yesterday.The deceased has been identified as Werner Hiskia (17).In the final road accident confirmed yesterday, the driver of a white microbus reportedly lost control of his vehicle while travelling between Windhoek and Leonardville on Friday.Six people were travelling in the vehicle, and one died on the scene.The deceased was identified as Fritz Haoseb (35).During the same period last year, 15 people died in road accidents. The big exodus from the coast started early yesterday, with about 370 vehicles leaving Swakopmund between noon and 13h00.