Mariental crash victims named

A MEMORIAL service is planned at the spot where 12 people died in a horrific head-on collision on Sunday, while the names of the victims were released by the Hardap Regional Council and the Namibian Police yesterday.

Two vehicles, a commuter minibus and a bakkie, collided 30 km outside Kalkrand on the way to Rehoboth. The 12 people died on the spot.Works, Transport and Communication Minister Joel Kaapanda and Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse will attend the memorial service tomorrow afternoon, together with senior officials from the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund.Among those killed were former Mineworkers Union of Namibia Vice President Eino Ntinda and Elim Pentecostal Church Elder Hendrik Moss.Moss headed the Windhoek branch of the church.Moss was among a group of Elim Church members who attended the funeral of a relative of Governor Hanse and was returning to Windhoek in the minibus.Other members of the church who died were Anton Johannes Uiseb (33), Helena Janse (46), Eva Priscilla Nero (25), Eliaser Moss (7), Hermanus Ochurub, Stephanus Ochurub, Livona Ochurus and baby Ochurus.The driver of the minibus was 25-year-old Johny Japhet Kharigub – better known as Mengeni or ‘Nugget’ among his peers – from Gibeon, who was in the family transport business.Julius Cornelius (39) was in the bakkie together with Ntinda, who was the Chief Personnel Officer at the Karas Regional Council office at the time of his death.Governor Hanse said the group in the minibus were members of her brother Reverend Moses Hansen’s Elim Church and she knew them.”Some are family members through marriage,” she said.The Hardap Regional Council has already extended its help to relatives of the victims, and two councillors went out yesterday morning to give material and moral support.Hanse told The Namibian that the Regional Council was also in contact with the MVA Fund to assist the relatives of the deceased with their accident claims.Eight other people were injured and received treatment at Mariental and in Windhoek.Regional Police Commander Chief Inspector Kobus Meyer said earlier that a sedan – a Nissan Almera – and the bakkie were heading southwards while the minibus was travelling northwards to Windhoek.The driver of the bakkie is believed to have noticed a BMW parked next to the road and reduced his speed.The driver of the Almera realised too late that the bakkie had slowed down and tried to brake.When that did not work, he tried to pass and in the process of swerving back into the lane, his car hit the bakkie with its rear end.Meyer said the driver of the bakkie lost control and collided head-on with the oncoming minibus.The bakkie was said to have caught fire and Ntinda burnt beyond recognition.MUN General Secretary Joseph Hengari said yesterday that they were shocked by Ntinda’s sudden death.He said Namibia had lost “a dedicated cadre who availed himself for the suffering masses”.The 12 people died on the spot.Works, Transport and Communication Minister Joel Kaapanda and Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse will attend the memorial service tomorrow afternoon, together with senior officials from the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund.Among those killed were former Mineworkers Union of Namibia Vice President Eino Ntinda and Elim Pentecostal Church Elder Hendrik Moss.Moss headed the Windhoek branch of the church. Moss was among a group of Elim Church members who attended the funeral of a relative of Governor Hanse and was returning to Windhoek in the minibus.Other members of the church who died were Anton Johannes Uiseb (33), Helena Janse (46), Eva Priscilla Nero (25), Eliaser Moss (7), Hermanus Ochurub, Stephanus Ochurub, Livona Ochurus and baby Ochurus.The driver of the minibus was 25-year-old Johny Japhet Kharigub – better known as Mengeni or ‘Nugget’ among his peers – from Gibeon, who was in the family transport business.Julius Cornelius (39) was in the bakkie together with Ntinda, who was the Chief Personnel Officer at the Karas Regional Council office at the time of his death.Governor Hanse said the group in the minibus were members of her brother Reverend Moses Hansen’s Elim Church and she knew them.”Some are family members through marriage,” she said.The Hardap Regional Council has already extended its help to relatives of the victims, and two councillors went out yesterday morning to give material and moral support.Hanse told The Namibian that the Regional Council was also in contact with the MVA Fund to assist the relatives of the deceased with their accident claims.Eight other people were injured and received treatment at Mariental and in Windhoek.Regional Police Commander Chief Inspector Kobus Meyer said earlier that a sedan – a Nissan Almera – and the bakkie were heading southwards while the minibus was travelling northwards to Windhoek.The driver of the bakkie is believed to have noticed a BMW parked next to the road and reduced his speed.The driver of the Almera realised too late that the bakkie had slowed down and tried to brake.When that did not work, he tried to pass and in the process of swerving back into the lane, his car hit the bakkie with its rear end.Meyer said the driver of the bakkie lost control and collided head-on with the oncoming minibus.The bakkie was said to have caught fire and Ntinda burnt beyond recognition.MUN General Secretary Joseph Hengari said yesterday that they were shocked by Ntinda’s sudden death.He said Namibia had lost “a dedicated cadre who availed himself for the suffering masses”.