Easter weekend death toll rises to 21

THE death toll on Namibian roads over the Easter weekend has risen from 17 to 21.

Four people were killed instantly on the main road between Otavi and Otjiwarongo on Friday afternoon, when an Iveco minibus collided with a Fiat about 10 kilometres outside of Otavi, the Police in Windhoek reported yesterday. A total of 23 people were involved in the accident.According to the Police, the Government-registered Fiat was transporting a Cuban medical crew to a scientific forum for Cuban doctors at Oshakati.Two of the deceased are reportedly Cuban doctors.The 19 injured people, including three Cuban doctors, were rushed to various hospitals at Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb and in Windhoek.The names of the deceased have not yet been released.A day earlier, on Thursday, another accident happened on the same road when the driver of a blue Audi lost control of the car 40 kilometres outside Otavi.The driver, a 28-year-old man, was rushed to the Otjiwarongo MediClinic hospital and was later transferred to the Windhoek MediClinic.The Police have also reported that three people were admitted to the Otjiwarongo and Windhoek State hospitals following an accident on the main road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo.A VW Golf they were travelling in apparently ran straight into a stationary truck.The driver of the truck was not injured.The Police are investigating a case of reckless driving.The Roads Authority (RA) said yesterday that it would hold a press conference later this week to report on the success of its Easter road-safety campaign.The RA’s Road Transport Inspection Services Manager, Conrad Lutombi, said his office was collecting data yesterday on the weekend’s events.Operation Ngambeka ‘Stay within the Limit’, as the campaign was called, ran in Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Swakopmund, Otjiwarongo, Oshivelo, Rundu and Katima Mulilo.At the launch of the operation, the organisers said that these areas had been chosen because of the number of accidents and crimes reported there during last year’s holidays.A total of 23 people were involved in the accident.According to the Police, the Government-registered Fiat was transporting a Cuban medical crew to a scientific forum for Cuban doctors at Oshakati.Two of the deceased are reportedly Cuban doctors.The 19 injured people, including three Cuban doctors, were rushed to various hospitals at Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb and in Windhoek.The names of the deceased have not yet been released.A day earlier, on Thursday, another accident happened on the same road when the driver of a blue Audi lost control of the car 40 kilometres outside Otavi. The driver, a 28-year-old man, was rushed to the Otjiwarongo MediClinic hospital and was later transferred to the Windhoek MediClinic.The Police have also reported that three people were admitted to the Otjiwarongo and Windhoek State hospitals following an accident on the main road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo.A VW Golf they were travelling in apparently ran straight into a stationary truck.The driver of the truck was not injured.The Police are investigating a case of reckless driving.The Roads Authority (RA) said yesterday that it would hold a press conference later this week to report on the success of its Easter road-safety campaign.The RA’s Road Transport Inspection Services Manager, Conrad Lutombi, said his office was collecting data yesterday on the weekend’s events.Operation Ngambeka ‘Stay within the Limit’, as the campaign was called, ran in Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Swakopmund, Otjiwarongo, Oshivelo, Rundu and Katima Mulilo.At the launch of the operation, the organisers said that these areas had been chosen because of the number of accidents and crimes reported there during last year’s holidays.