By: Kelvin Chiringa
This Wednesday opened with yet another very dark cloud hanging over the Namibian nation, as seven family members got involved in a horrific accident that claimed five of them in the morning hours, after the vehicle they were travelling in burst its rear tyre near Kongola.
According to the Zambezi police, the accident occurred at Omega-3 at about 07h45 along the Transcaprivi highway, in the Zambezi region.
“It’s alleged that the rear left tyre burst and the driver of m/v reg. no. RMZ.NAM lost control and it overturned and rolled several times. Five people died on the spot,” said Deputy Commissioner Nehemia Joseph, the acting Zambezi Regional Commander.
The incident, which has left many shell-shaken, happened in the vicinity of the Bwabwata National Park.
Namdock acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Heritha Nankole Muyoba, was also in the vehicle, according to a family source that spoke to The Villager as well as an official police record.
The police document seen by Eagle FM shows that only two people survived, Amy Manga Sepiso (22) who was the driver and Nekaro Marus (3).
However, the Zambezi police released the entire least of the deceased as follows: Ms Muyoba Heritha Nankole (52), female, Namangolwa Nzundana (40) female, Twambo Chanda (16) female, Masonke Muyoba Richard Klein, 8yrs male, Kasiku Nekaro (12), female.
“They are all Namibians and next of kin is informed. Investigations continue,” said the acting regional commander.
He also confirmed that they have opened cases of culpable homicide, as well as alternatively reckless and or negligent driving.
A woman who was the first to arrive on the scene, identified as Kabali Dorricah, also confirmed the accident to The Villager.
“It happened at 7am 160Km from Kongola. Five people died and only two survived and one of them was a boy between 3 to 4 years of age,” she said.
A police chief inspector who responded to the accident was not immediately available for a comment when The Villager rang his mobile phone.
Another source very close to the matter has confirmed that one of the deceased, Nzundamo, worked at the National Planning Commission as a National Development Advisor.
She had posted a picture with her family members on her Facebook timeline which also shows that this week was her birthday.
She had turned 40.
“The Muyoba family is huge and very prominent family in regards with farming and education qualifications. It is a well-known family in the Zambezi region,” said the source.
A family member who said that the Namdock acting CEO was his aunt also confirmed the accident but said the issue was still be treated as a sensitive one by the family and thus could not give much detail.
The National Planning Commission’s director general, Obeth Kandjoze, has confirmed that one of the five that perished in the fatal accident near Kongola today, Namangolwa Nzundamo (40), worked with him at the NPC as.
She was a National Development Advisor and had just turned 40 this week.
Kandjoze confirmed receiving news of the incident from a colleague this morning, an accident that has equally claimed the life of the Namibia Drydock and Ship Repair company (Namdoc) acting CEO, Heritha Nankole Muyoba.
“I want to express deep condolences to the family, uncles, brothers, sisters, everyone,” said the former mines minister.
Only two people survived the accident this morning around 7am, Amy Manga Sepiso (22) who was the driver and Nekaro Marus (3).
How to Handle Burst Tyres: Sheriff Sean Naude
Crime fighting Namibia Marshall Rangers Sheriff Sean Naude has said that the fact that the 22-year-old was handling a high-powered engine, could have contributed to the intensity of the accident.
But he gave some advice on what to do if one experiences a sudden burst of a tyre or tyres when cruising on the national roads.
“With a powerful machine like that, it is very hard to… you know a lot of people think they can handle speed and power, but that is one of your most powerful vehicles on the road at the moment. If you do not know what you are doing behind the wheel, and you’re a young person, you’re going to panic and you are going to do the wrong things.
“And this is what happened. It was a situation of uncontrolled behavior in the sense of, they did not control the situation properly and we have had tyre bursts a lot of time. Sometimes you can handle it, sometimes you can’t, but even the worst of tyre breaks, you can if you apply breaks slowly and not slam on the breaks and not make any sudden drastic movements on the steering, you can survive and get through a tyre burst,” he said.
