Roads Authority (RA) chief executive Conrad Lutombi says the company is investigating the possibility of upgrading the Otavi-Otjiwarongo road to a two-plus road to reduce the accident rate.
This comes after the road claimed more than 20 lives last year.
According to Lutombi, the loss of lives was not caused by the road but rather by reckless driving.
“We are aware that many people are losing their lives on that road, but it is not due to the road itself – it is mostly because of speeding.
That is the road where vehicles from the coast, Omaruru, and the Trans-Zambezi corridor converge,” he says.
Lutombi says the traffic flow on the road is too high.
“We have heavy traffic on that road, but there is nothing wrong with the road itself.
Most accidents are head-on collisions caused by overtaking, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol,” he says.
Lutombi says the possible upgrade will be similar to the Windhoek-Okahandja dual carriageway, which is estimated to cost around N$2.8 billion.
“Many people have lost their lives on this road.
We are now investigating the possibility of upgrading it to a two-plus road like the one at Okahandja, but we currently lack the necessary resources. That road is dangerous,” he says.
PAST ROAD DEATHS
Last November, an accident occurred about 15km north of Otjiwarongo on the Otavi B1 Road, in which seven people – including five adults and two children – were burned beyond recognition.
Another accident between an Intercape bus and an Iveco passenger bus took place in early August 2024 between Otavi and Otjiwarongo, resulting in multiple casualties. Emergency services were deployed by the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund.
The accident site, located 50km from Otavi towards Otjiwarongo, was attended to by four ambulances.
Two female passengers succumbed to their injuries – one at the scene and another en route to the hospital.
Last year, four people died in a head-on collision between a Polo sedan and a seven-seater on the B1 Road between Otjiwarongo and Otavi in the early hours of the morning.
According to the police, the sedan was allegedly attempting to overtake a truck when it collided head-on with the seven-seater.
A culpable homicide case has been opened against the Polo driver.
The most recent incident involves two men who died in a car accident, while two others were seriously injured along the B1 Road between Otjiwarongo and Otavi on Sunday afternoon.
According to a police report, the accident happened shortly before 16h00 when the driver of a sport utility vehicle lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle.
The vehicle had four occupants, three of whom were flung from the car upon impact.
The victims who lost their lives in the accident have been identified as Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency Ongwediva office manager Jacob Hamutenya (36) and Abner Kandjimbi (31).
The third and fourth passengers were admitted to a hospital at Otjiwarongo.
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