SA academics die in crash

A ROAD accident between Usakos and Arandis claimed the lives of two academics from the University of Witwatersrand last Thursday.

They were travelling along with three other passengers when their Toyota Condor left the road and overturned. Deborah McConnell (38) died on the spot.She was the project co-ordinator of the University’s Centre for African International Relations, which builds strategic relationships between Wits and institutions in Africa and beyond.Derrick Aubrey Young (55) of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics was taken to the State Hospital in Usakos with serious injuries to his head, neck and chest.On Friday, Young and another passenger who sustained leg injuries were transported to Windhoek by ambulance.Near Karibib, the ambulance was involved in a minor collision with two kudus.International SOS personnel managed to stabilise Young on the scene but he died shortly afterwards.Claudio Marangoni of the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences sustained facial and other injuries but is in a stable condition in hospital in Windhoek.The fourth member of the delegation, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, escaped injury and will return to South Africa shortly.They were part of a group that was involved in the South Africa-Norway Tertiary Education Development Programme (SANTED), which aims to promote co-operation between South African higher education institutions and those in other southern African countries.The project involves a curriculum partnership with the Universities of Namibia, Eduardo Mondlane and Witwatersrand.The group was on their way to the Henties Bay Research Station to assess it for possible team teaching and other collaborative work in science with the University of Namibia.Deborah McConnell (38) died on the spot.She was the project co-ordinator of the University’s Centre for African International Relations, which builds strategic relationships between Wits and institutions in Africa and beyond.Derrick Aubrey Young (55) of the School of Computational and Applied Mathematics was taken to the State Hospital in Usakos with serious injuries to his head, neck and chest.On Friday, Young and another passenger who sustained leg injuries were transported to Windhoek by ambulance.Near Karibib, the ambulance was involved in a minor collision with two kudus.International SOS personnel managed to stabilise Young on the scene but he died shortly afterwards.Claudio Marangoni of the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences sustained facial and other injuries but is in a stable condition in hospital in Windhoek.The fourth member of the delegation, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, escaped injury and will return to South Africa shortly.They were part of a group that was involved in the South Africa-Norway Tertiary Education Development Programme (SANTED), which aims to promote co-operation between South African higher education institutions and those in other southern African countries.The project involves a curriculum partnership with the Universities of Namibia, Eduardo Mondlane and Witwatersrand.The group was on their way to the Henties Bay Research Station to assess it for possible team teaching and other collaborative work in science with the University of Namibia.