Editorial 2018 “We are not Boys…..”
Africa Archive 2018
MP Gutmoi injured in accident in Kiryadongo
The accident comes just four days after a nasty accident in which 23 people died in the same district. Early January, another accident in the same place claimed lives of two foreigners.
Erute North Member of Parliament, Charles Angiro Guttmoi is critically injured after he was invplved in accident Wednesday morning. The accident happened at Karuma Bridge in Kiryandongo district.
His vehicle registration number UAU089G collided with a Fuso lorry Reg. No. UAJ730U, at the bride on the Gulu-Kampala Highway. The vehicle in which MP Angiro got an accident now parked at Karuma Police Post.
Angiro with his supporters. File picture
Angiro reportedly sustained injuries. Albertine Region Police Spokesperson says: “He got fractures on his right leg, was rushed to Kiryandongo Hospital for first aid treatment and later transferred to Kampala,” Hakiza added.
The Police went to the scene and removed the MP who was trapped in the vehicle and rush him to Kiryandongo Hospital from where with the help of Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, he was transferred to Mulago Hospital in Kampala.
The accident comes just four days after a nasty accident in which 23 people died in the same district. The injured were airlifted to Kampala for treatment.
Early January, another accident in the same place claimed lives of two foreigners.
This has led to calls by different leaders and opinion leaders, including Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, to make stringent rules on road use.
Speaker Rebecca KadagaAngiro is the second MP to be involved in an accident this month after Buyaga East MP Eric Musana was involved in an accident earlier this month on Mityana highway. He is still in hospital.
We do not know what caused Kiryandongo accident – Police
“Many bus companies have been losing their licenses after thorough investigations into the cause of any accident,” Kayima.
The Police is still investing the cause of the Kiryandongo road accident, which occurred on Friday last week, killing 23 people.
Addressing journalists at Kampala Central Police Station, the police force’s publicist, Emilian Kayima said the team of investigators is already on ground to trace the real cause of the accident.
“We got information that the bus driver caused the accident as he tried to overtake a tractor which had no reflectors and indicators. But our team is on ground to get the exact cause of the accident before coming to a conclusion,” he said.
Emilian KayimaWithout giving details; Kayima said the driver of the Gaga Bus survived with severe injuries undergoing treatment under police watch.
“We are waiting for him to get through; so that he can be questioned. Right now, we can’t ask him anything because he is still unstable with a lot of pain,” he noted.
He also noted that the Director of Traffic and Transport Licensing Board are already in a meeting discussing the matter.
“Many bus companies have been losing their licenses after thorough investigations into the cause of any accident. Right now, we cannot conclude anything until investigations are done,” Kayima said.
On whether other bodies are still missing, he said everything will be released in the report after investigations are complete. A bus carries between 60 and 70 passengers.
“Some people claim the bus was full board but of now we cannot confirm that. Our team will get more details because when you look at the wreckage, it is hard to believe whether anyone survived but you saw some survived,” he added.
Kayima cautioned all bus drivers to follow traffic regulations and avoid driving recklessly to protect people’s lives.
‘Drunk’ driver to blame for deadly road crash
By Phares Mutembei | Published Wed, May 30th 2018
The wreckage of the Probox that collided with a pick-up, killing six people on the Meru- Mikinduri road on Monday night. [Phares Mutembei, Standard] Police are investigating whether the driver of a Toyota Probox, which collided with a pick-up, killing six people was drunk. 
Rescuers claimed the driver of the car that was ferrying 15 passengers from Mikinduri market to Meru was drunk at the time of the accident on Monday night.
The collision put in the spotlight the use of overloaded taxis on matatu routes in Meru that do not comply with PSV rules. Six people, including the Probox driver, died when the car collided with a Toyota Hilux pick-up, near the Giaki junction, on Monday night. Imenti North OCPD Sammy Kosgei said the accident at Giaki Junction on the Meru-Mikinduri road happened at around 9.30pm when the driver of the Toyota Probox tried to overtake a lorry.
The driver of the pick-up, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, escaped with head, hand and leg injuries. But six of the passengers in the Probox, who witnesses said numbered 15, were not so lucky. “Five passengers in the Probox and the driver died on arrival at the Meru Level 5 Hospital. We are working to establish exactly how it happened and those involved,” said Mr Kosgei in Meru town yesterday.
Businessman Mike Makarena, who was among the first to arrive at the scene to ferry the injured to hospital, claimed the driver of the Probox was drunk. “I carried several of the injured in my car. I took two to Meru hospital and another to Kiirua mission hospital. Two died in my car,” said Mr Makarena yesterday. He said:” A survivor told us the driver appeared drunk and the passengers tried to prevail upon him not to speed. He collided with the Pickup as he tried to overtake a lorry,” said Mr Makarena.
Makarena said he called the county government officials who sent two vehicles to get the casualties to hospital. “Drivers on this road have become notorious as they drive drunk and overload. The police must be more vigilant on this road because we have lost so many lives needlessly,” Makarena said the numerous accidents on the Meru-Mikinduri road have to be curbed as it had robbed families off bread winners. Witnesses said the Probox was overloaded as it sped towards Mikunduri town. Boniface Mwirigi and Ben Gaite, a mechanic, were among the first to arrive at the scene to help passengers.
Ghana: One Killed, 28 Injured In Crashes
The mangled vehicle
The incident happened on Sunday morning at 10:40 am on the Accra to Kumasi highway stretch after Asiakwa in the Fanteakwa North District of the Eastern Region.
According to reports, 21 persons including the driver sustained various degrees of injury when the vehicle veered off its lane after blasting its tyre.
Concerning the Bunso incident, 13 persons among the 21 got injured. They were rushed to the Osiem Hawa Memorial Hospital for treatment. Five were rushed to the Enyiresi Government Hospital, while the rest were also admitted at the Kyebi Government Hospital.
A 12-year-old girl identified as Abigail, had her left leg amputated. She had since been referred to Koforidua for further treatment.
Nkawkaw Last Saturday, one Joseph Nyarko met his untimely death when his Toyota Corolla collided with a Mercedes Benz Sprinter in the course of overtaking at Nkawkaw in the Kwahu West Municipality.
Four other persons on board the Toyota corolla car with the registration number GE 2261-17 had various degrees of injury in the crash.
DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer confirmed to DAILY GUIDE that the deceased Saloon Corolla driver on reaching a section of the road at Nkawkaw-Amanfrom overtook a vehicle ahead of him.
The police spokesperson said the Saloon car collided with an oncoming Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus with registration number AS 7162-16 driven by a 29-year-old Ayaaba Haruna from the opposite direction with nine passengers on board.
”All persons on board both vehicles sustained various degrees of injury and were rushed to the Holy Family Hospital in Nkawkaw for treatment but the driver, Joseph Nyarko, died shortly on arrival” DSP Tetteh explained.
Suhum Crash In a related development, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh explained that on Saturday at 4:00 am, a 40-year-old driver, Kwame Amofa, was driving a Benz cargo truck with registration number WR 969-N. The truck was loaded with foodstuffs with his mate, Kwame Bright, and one Akua Hannah, who were on board. The truck was from Kumasi to Accra.
According to the regional police spokesperson, the driver upon reaching Okroase Junction at Suhum, failed to observe road diversion sign on the road.
He said in the process he crashed into the Benz cargo truck with registration number BA 1212-V that was being driven by John Agyapong, with one Fati Alhassan on board.
”The impact forced truck with registration number BA 1212-V to fall heavily on the road. It was facing Kumasi direction; the driver in charge of truck No WR 969-R was trapped and later rescued” DSP said.
The injured persons were rushed to the Suhum Government Hospital and admitted for treatment.
Accident trucks were later in the day towed from the scene, paving way for normal traffic flow.
10 critically injured in an accident at Osino, MTTD officers blamed
The damaged Sprinter bus at the accident scene
Ten people are said to be in critical condition at the Osino Health Centre following an accident at Osino at the Fanteakwa South District in the Eastern Region early Monday morning.
The accident involving three cars; a Hyundai Urvan mini-bus with registration number GT -6794- 12, an unregistered Chevrolet saloon car with number plate DV-1423A and a red Sprinter bus, happened right in front of the Osino Police Station when personnel from the Koforidua MTTD were inspecting roadworthy certificates and license of drivers.
According to eyewitnesses, officers from the Koforidua MTTD with registration number GP 3141 caused the accident when they made the driver of the Hyundai Urvan mini-bus park on the shoulders of the road for inspection, blocking free movement of vehicles.
Whilst the driver of the mini-bus was about leaving the scene, the driver of the Sprinter bus at top speed crashed into the bus causing the accident to occur leaving passengers in both cars injured.
The driver of the white Chevrolet car escaped unhurt when his car was hit by the Hyundai Urvan mini-bus as a result of the impact by the Sprinter bus.
One dead, eight injured in Ilorin auto crash
MAY 29, 2018
FRSC blames accident on reckless driving One person reportedly died, while eight others were seriously injured, weekend, in an auto crash at Oyun area along Jebba Road in Ilorin. An eyewitness said the accident occurred when two Mazda 323 cars that were coming from opposite directions had a head-on collision.
One of the cars, number plates FUF 845 XA, was coming from Oke-Ose axis, while the other, number plates KEY 609 XA, was coming from Sango axis. Mr. Sunday Maku, Kwara Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, confirmed that one person died and eight others were injured in the accident.
He said: “Eight passengers— four males and four females— sustained various degree of injuries in the accident. No other life was lost in the incident.” The sector commander blamed wrong overtaking for the auto crash, saying “the accident occurred at the Oyun end of the old Ilorin-Jebba Road, three kilometres from the base of the two commercial vehicles.
“Two commercial vehicles, Mazda 323 with registration number KEY 609 XA and Mazda 323 with registration no FUF 845 XA, were involved. “There were nine people in the vehicles, five males and four females. Four male and four female were injured.” Maku said the injured passengers have been referred to a private hospital in the city.
UGANDA: GOVT DECLARES DAY OF MOURNING FOR BUS CRASH VICTIMS
Statement by Prime Minister, Rt Hon Dr Ruhakana Rugunda
Sunday, 27th May 2018
Government expresses condolences to the families that lost their loved ones, and those who sustained injuries in the tragic accident involving a Gaaga Bus, a tractor and a lorry at Nanda Village, Kiryandongo District on Friday 25th May 2018.
The current death toll stands at 22 people, while others who were injured are being treated. Others have been discharged.
On the directive of HE President Museveni, Government is:
1. Declaring three (03) days of National Mourning starting today, Sunday 27th May 2018. During these 3 days, all flags on public buildings will fly at half mast.
2. Contributing Shs 5 million per victim to the families that lost their loved ones to assist in burial arrangements.
3. Will contribute Shs 3 million per person to those who were seriously injured and are undergoing treatment.
Following the accident, the President ordered the UPDF to avail a helicopter for the serious cases that needed to be airlifted for specialized treatment.
While we await a detailed report from the police, initial investigations point to speeding and vehicles in faulty mechanical conditions as the cause of the accident.
The traffic police must step up vigilance on the roads, especially ensuring that vehicles that are not roadworthy are not on the roads. Speed limits must also be observed.
We also appeal to motorists to drive carefully and be disciplined on the roads. Even without the police, passengers should prevail over errant drivers.
We salute members of the public who supported rescue efforts to help save lives. We also thank Government Ministers, the Police and other officials for promptly coordinating the response.
We also thank the medical teams at various health facilities where the injured are being treated from, for the good job they are doing.
May the Almighty God Rest the departed in eternal Peace and bring quick recovery to the injured.
Ruhakana Rugunda (Dr)
Prime Minister
3 dead, 15 injured after taxi loses control on Cape Town highway
28th May 2018 Jenna Etheridge
The accident on the N2. (Supplied)
The roadway was eventually cleared and re-opened for vehicles at 16:15.
Update: 48 killed as Uganda bus rams into tractor and truck
Forty-eight people died in northern Uganda when a bus hit a tractor driving with no lights at night and then a truck, the Red Cross said Saturday, but police put the toll at 22.
“Evacuation teams are working tirelessly to rescue the injured,” said Ugandan police spokeswoman Emilian Kayima, adding that all three drivers had died.
“The death toll is now at 48 including 16 children,” Red Cross spokeswoman Irene Nakasiita told AFP.
But Kayima said 22 people had died, including three children, and 14 had been injured. He said the injured had been transported to Kampala by helicopter for treatment.
The accident was one of the deadliest in Uganda in recent years and happened on Friday night in Kiryandongo, about 220km north of the capital Kampala.
The bus, which left the town of Lira, first hit the tractor from the back before slamming into a truck transporting beer.
Local media said the death toll exceeded 30.
Uganda has one of the worst records for road safety, due to the poor condition of vehicles and roads as well as dangerous driving.
More than 9,500 people died in road accidents in the country between 2015 and 2017, according to figures from the transport ministry, with the situation worsening each year.
A UN report last year said 10 people die on Ugandan roads every day and that road accidents cost the country $ 1.2 billion – or 5% of its Gross Domestic Product.
In 2015, President Yoweri Museveni personally sacked 900 officials in charge of building and making roads, holding them accountable for the abysmal state of the network.
Uganda bus crash kills at least 22, including children
26th May 2018
At least 22 people, including three children, have been killed in a bus crash in northern Uganda, police said.
The bus hit a tractor that was driving with no lights at night and then a truck, police spokeswoman Emilian Kayima told the AFP news agency.
The accident happened on Friday night in Kiryandongo, about 220km (140 miles) north of the capital Kampala.
“Evacuation teams are working tirelessly to rescue the injured,” Ms Kayima said. Some local media reports put the death toll higher than 30. 
Uganda has among the world’s worst road safety records. More than 9,500 people died in a road accident in the country between 2015 and 2017, according to official figures.
One killed, one injured in two-vehicle collision on the R59 in Vaalpark close to Taaibosspruit
26 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
A 48-year-old woman was killed, and a 24-year-old man sustained minor injuries in a two-vehicle collision on the R59 in Vaalpark close to Taaibosspruit this morning.When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after 06H00, they found one vehicle in the field and one in the road. Upon further assessment, paramedics found a woman lying outside of her vehicle in the field. It is believed that bystanders pulled her from the vehicle. She, unfortunately, sustained fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene.The man was still seated in his vehicle on the road. He sustained minor injuries and was transported to hospital for further medical care.The exact circumstances surrounding the incident were not known to our paramedics, but police were on the scene for further investigations.
Six die in head-on collision
SIX people including the driver died on the spot when a Nissan Vanette they were travelling in collided head-on with a bus near Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the accident occurred at around 2 AM on Wednesday.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the death of six people in a road traffic accident which occurred on 23 May 2018 at the 260 km peg along Harare-Masvingo Road near Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
He said the bus that was involved in the accident had 29 passengers on board and was travelling towards Masvingo.
“The second party was driving an unregistered Nissan Vanette due north towards Harare with five passengers on board. Upon approaching the 260 km peg along the same road, the driver of the Nissan Vanette encroached into the lane of the oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision with a Yutong bus.
“Six people in the Nissan Vanette died on the spot and of the deceased only two have been identified,” he said.
Chief Supt Nyathi said it was sad to note the country continued to lose precious lives in road traffic accidents and appealed to motorists to exercise maximum caution when travelling.
“It is sad to note that we have again lost six lives on our roads. We continue urging motorists to exercise extreme caution as they drive on our roads. You should avoid overtaking especially where you cannot see clearly what is in front, especially at night,” he said.
FATHER OF 3 CRUSHED TO DEATH BY TRUCK IN LAGOS STATE
25th May 2018
The accident scene
People were left in a state of shock after a father of three, Noah Akindiloye was crushed to death in traffic at Second Rainbow bus stop, in the Mile 2 end of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
43-year-old Akindiloye, a bus conductor, was killed by a tanker driver, identified only as Abbey, whose vehicle had brake failure.
The bus driver whom the victim worked with, Lawal Abiodun, told Punch Metro that he was with the deceased and some passengers when the incident happened.
He said, “When we got to Second Rainbow, there was a traffic jam because of people that wanted to alight from another bus; I was in the middle lane when I heard a sudden bang. Our vehicle was hit by a truck from the back. The hit made my bus to turn around and face another lane.
“I don’t know how my conductor fell from the bus. I saw him lying lifeless where the tanker had killed him.
“About three other people that sat at the back sustained injuries and when they saw that the conductor was dead, they simply went their way.”
The deceased’s wife, Sadiat Akinloye, said she was feeling uneasy but didn’t have an idea of what happened.
“People had heard about the incident in our compound, but they didn’t tell me. The driver told me that they were in front when the tanker hit their vehicle by the side.
“I was told that my husband was collecting money from passengers when the tanker driver hit him; he fell from the bus and something in the tanker hooked his clothes.
“He was struggling to unhook himself; but because the brakes of the tanker had failed, the tyres crushed him,” she added.
The widow lamented that the deceased had been the breadwinner of the family, adding that he didn’t allow her to work. “His responsibility in the family cannot be quantified because he was the only son of his family. He was the only one taking care of our children. My first child is in a boarding school in Ondo State. This is the only work he does to feed us and pay for accommodation,” she added.
The mother of three pleaded for government help and support of well-meaning Nigerians.
Multiple people injured after a taxi and truck collided on the R55 and Wierda road in Sunderland Ridge
25 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
At least ten people were injured after a taxi and a truck collided on the R55 and Wierda road in Sunderland Ridge this morning.When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after 09H00, they found a patient still trapped inside the taxi. The fire brigade had to extricate the patient using the jaws of life.Upon further assessment, it was found that the patient sustained serious injuries. ER24 treated and stabilized the patient before the patient was airlifted to hospital by medical helicopter.Another patient was also found to have sustained serious injuries while the rest sustained minor to moderate injuries.6 people killed on the spot
Six people died on the spot when a Nissan Vanette they were traveling in was involved in a head-on collision with a bus on Wednesday morning near Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre.
The accident occurred after the driver of the Nissan Vanette, suspected to be a pirate taxi, encroached into the opposite lane and collided head-on with a Yutong bus that was traveling from Harare to Masvingo.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident which occurred at 260km along Harare-Masvingo Highway at around 0100 hours.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the death of six people in a road traffic accident, which occurred at about 260km peg along Harare-Masvingo Road near Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre,” said Chief Supt Nyathi in a statement.
He said the Yutong bus was carrying 29 passengers, while the Nissan Vanette was carrying six people, including the driver when the accident occurred.
“The second party was driving an unregistered Nissan Vanette due north towards Harare with five passengers on board. Upon approaching the 260km peg along the same road, the driver of the Nissan Vanette encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision with the Yutong bus.”
“All the six people in the Nissan Vanette died on the spot and only two passengers have been identified so far,” he said.
Chief Supt Nyathi said investigations were under way to establish what caused the accident.
Namibia: Tsumkwe learner dies instantly in accident on her way to school
Written by Mulisa Simiyasa on 23 May 2018.
OTJIWARONGO, 23 MAY (NAMPA) – A Grade 10 Tsumkwe Senior Secondary School (SSS) learner on Monday afternoon died instantly after a minibus she was travelling in with others overturned on the Grootfontein-Tsumkwe gravel road at around 15h00.
The 18-year-old has been identified as Martian Tjikua and her close relatives have been informed of her death.
Seven other occupants sustained serious injuries and were taken to the Grootfontein State Hospital.
18 injured as Kampala bound bus overturns in Kasese
By Daily Monitor 
At least 18 passengers have been admitted to Kagando and Kilembe hospitals following a bus accident that happened along Kasese-Mbarara road.
Authorities say the Link Company bus registration number UAW 354V was travelling to Kampala when it overturned at Kikorongo trading centre in Kasese District on Monday morning.
Mr Julius Tusingwire, the Rwenzori East regional police said they are still investigating the cause of the accident.
The driver is reportedly on the run. Police urged road users to always be vigilant when travelling.
Julius Allan Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson, told New Vision on Sunday by phone that the accident occurred at Chepelwo trading centre, Kibanda North, Kiryabndongo district at 9:00pm.
ACCIDENT, GULU-KAMPALA HIGHWAY
Five people are confirmed dead and four others critically injured following an accident in Kiryandongo district on Saturday night.
The accident occurred along Gulu-Kampala highway when a commuter taxi registration number UAY 648T, which was moving from northern Uganda heading to Kampala rammed into a stationary trailer registration number UAP 370L of SSD-437D.
Julius Allan Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson, told New Vision on Sunday by phone that the accident occurred at Chepelwo trading centre, Kibanda North, Kiryabndongo district at 9:00pm.
Hakiza identified the deceased as Fredrick Sunde, a resident of Kawempe in Kampala, Joseph Adepo from Mukono district and an employee of National Forestry Authority (NFA) and Tommy Ojoko, a resident Kawoko in Mutunde sub-county Kiryandongo district.
Those injured are Vicky Auma, a resident of Kisura village in Kiryandongo district, Ronald Waswa, the taxi driver, Patrick Opio, a resident of Dokolo district and Benson Asisi hailing from Arua district. They were admitted at Kiryandongio district.
Hakiiza said the trailer had packed on the roadside after developing a mechanical problem. Hakiiza blames the cause of accident on reckless driving by the taxi driver.
Accidents on Kampala-Gulu high way are common. In December last year, five people died on spot while others were seriously injured after bus collided with a Prado. In January, two foreign nationals died in road accident on Kampala –Gulu highway.
Kenya: Turbo students injured in bus crash discharged from hospital
By WYCLIFF KIPSANG MAY 22 2018
Forty eight students and two teachers of Turbo Girls High School were injured on May 20, 2018 after their bus overturned on Sugoi-Kosachei road. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Majority of the students from Turbo Girls High School who were involved in a road crash on Sunday have been discharged from hospital.
Forty eight students and two teachers were admitted to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret after their bus overturned on the Sugoi- Kosachei road.
INJURIES MTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Wilson Aruasa said two students who sustained head injuries are still in hospital. “Most of the students sustained soft tissue injuries but we managed to stabilise them,” he said. He added that the two students in hospital have already undergone CT scan tests on their heads to establish the extent of the injuries.
The students were heading back to their school after attending a career talk at the neighbouring Kosachei Secondary School when the incident occurred at about 3pm.
Emergency medical responders first took them to the Turbo Sub-County Hospital but they were transferred to the MTRH in Eldoret for specialised treatment. Turbo Deputy County Commissioner Mohammed Mwabudzo who confirmed the incident attributed it to the ongoing heavy rains in the region.
“Heavy rains pounding the region is causing poor visibility. We call on motorists to exercise caution during this season,” said Mr Mwabudzo. The accident caused a heavy traffic snarl up along the busy route.
Arandis crash victims identified
by Adam Hartman
Arandis crash victims identified
Uganda: Kadaga wants road safety included in national curriculum
- Written by JOSEPHINE NAMULOKI
The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has advised the ministry of Education and Sports to include road safety in the national education curriculum so as to raise awareness on the dangers of road accidents among school children.
According to Kadaga such a curriculum would reduce on the number of students killed and injured in road accidents. Launching a legislative action plan on road safety on Friday aimed at curbing road carnage in the country, Kadaga wondered whether teachers still had time to teach children how to cross roads.
Vehicle wreckages towed to parliament to showcase the magnitude of road accidents in Uganda
“In my [primary] school [Shimoni demonstration] which is now a construction site, we were taught how to cross a road. Many children walk in this town, there is a lot of walking even in villages on high ways and children are competing with buses, taxis and boda-bodas,” Kadaga said.
“I don’t know whether now days the teachers have the time to teach children how to cross the road. We need to address that issue within homes and schools,” Kadaga added.
Kadaga also directed that the parliamentary committee on education discuss with relevant ministry of Education authorities how the curriculum could capture and emphasize awareness on traffic laws and regulations to curb deaths due to road accidents.
“We need to see how we can build it in our children so that they can grow up knowing just the basics,” Kadaga said adding that the road safety situation in the country continues to be a challenge with a number of factors accounting for high road carnage on major highways.
Kadaga alluded to the organisation of road systems in the United States of America noting that bad road users are apprehended by digital systems like CCTVs set up along roads and that Uganda can pick a leaf from that.
“We have been talking about installing CCTV cameras in this city and country. I don’t know how far that programme has gone. These will be very useful in spotting those who cause carnage on our roads,” Kadaga said.
In March 2015, government signed a contract with a Swiss company Societe Generale De Surveillance (SGS) to routinely inspect vehicles, largely to get cars in poor mechanical condition off the roads and reduce accidents.
However, the number of vehicles and boda-bodas taken for inspection have reduced following parliament’s resolution to investigate the company’s contract terms. SGS communications manager Susan Nava told The Observer that 33,000 vehicles had been inspected in a year period but the numbers started dwindling.
“We hope to have more vehicles for inspection soon because that inspection does not only reduce numbers of accidents due to poor mechanical state but it enables vehicle owners to know what exactly the fault is with the car that should fixed,” Nava said.
“When you take your car to the garage, you know what requires to be fixed and since you know that, the mechanics will not cheat the person seeking the repairs,” Nava added.
World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam said that road accidents which is predicted to be the fifth largest killer by 2030 globally, is holding back health and economic development.
“In the last decade, road accidents in Uganda rose by 25.9% from 2,597 deaths per year in 2006 to 3,536 in 2016. Additionally, up to 33% of emergency beds in hospitals are occupied because of road accidents and this is clearly a huge disaster holding back health and economic development in the country,” Dr Woldemariam said.
According to Woldemariam, Uganda loses $1.2bn equivalent to 5% of its GDP to road traffic accidents and related causes.
“The road sector contributed about 3% in 2014 and 2015, clearly indicating that we are paying more in lives than we gain in the economy,” Woldemariam said.
The parliamentary forum on road safety indicated that the implementation of road safety legislative action plan in conjunction with the World Bank group would address legislative issues regarding the institutionalized management of road safety issues.
Forum chairperson MP Alex Ruhunda (Fort Portal Municipality) said he would rally support from all stakeholders in the enactment of laws and policies aimed at ensuring a systematic approach to road safety in Uganda.
“The legislative strategy we have launched is symbolic to the processes that will be on going to champion all road traffic motorized issues across the country but most importantly first tracking the current road safety and traffic amendment Act, 1998 which is still about to get to cabinet. We are going to put pressure on the executive to ensure that this amendment is first tracked,” Ruhunda said.
Woman burnt beyond recognition in accident
The woman is believed to have been a resident of Elangeni Institute of Training and Development Centre in Bulawayo.
Although police could not confirm the accident, Sunday News gathered that the woman was burnt after the Honda Fit she was travelling in was involved in a head on collision with a mini-bus at about 11pm on Friday night along the Bulawayo-Harare highway, a few metres from Mzilikazi Barracks (formerly Brady Barracks). Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said she was yet to receive the report. “Unfortunately I have left the office but I had not received the report when I left,” she said. When Sunday News arrived at the scene yesterday, motorists could be seen peeping through the windows while some were parked assessing the damage.
The car was being driven by Mr Enock Matete who sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision and was treated and discharged at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH). Mr Matete said he wanted to take a right turn heading to his house when the accident occurred. The driver of the mini-bus is said to have encroached onto the oncoming lane to make way for a Mercedes Benz resulting in the head-on collision with the Honda Fit.
“I was coming from town and the road is a four-way lane and I was in the second lane when a Mercedes Benz overtook me. I swerved to the other side of the road and in a split of a second I had collided with a mini-bus — a coaster that had encroached onto my lane to avoid the Benz. I only heard a bang and after that I became unconscious.
“I later woke up at UBH where I was discharged just a few hours back and the situation is actually traumatising. I had given the woman, who I only know as Pecullia and resides at the campus, a lift from town and we were heading home,” he said. The driver sustained burn injuries on the face and his walk was evidence that the impact of the accident had taken its toll on him.
Head-on collision leaves one dead, five injured on the R554 in Vanderbijlpark
21 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
One man was killed and five others injured this afternoon following a head-on collision on the R554 in Vanderbijlpark.ER24 paramedics, along with several other services, arrived on the scene to find a bakkie and light motor vehicle in the middle of the road. Three men were found lying outside the light motor vehicle while three others were found inside the light motor vehicle.Paramedics assessed the patients while the local authorities began close off the road.
Assessments showed that four men had sustained numerous injuries and were in a critical condition. Two other men had sustained only moderate injuries.Treatment and advanced life support interventions were immediately initiated for the patients, in an effort to stabilise the critically injured. Unfortunately, after some time, one of the critically injured succumbed to their injuries and was declared dead a short time later.
Once all the patients had been treated, and the critically injured patients stabilised, the were transported to nearby provincial hospitals for further care. Two of the critically injured were airlifted by the ER24 Oneplan Helicopter to a private hospital for further care.
The exact cause of the collision is not yet known but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.
Three dead, six injured in accident near Mankessim
20th May 2018
The mangled car with bloodstains
They were on board a sprinter bus that was moving from Mankessim to Accra.
The dead whose bodies have been deposited at the Saltpond Municipal Hospital mortuary include the driver’s mate whilst the injured include the driver.
According to an eyewitness, the Sprinter bus, from the Mankessim lane, was overtaking other cars when the driver realized he was going to collide with oncoming cars.
In a split second decision to get back to its lane, the driver could not control the bus and bumped it into the trailer of a truck in the lane of the bus, leading to the clash.
When Citi News visited the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Mankessim Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital where the injured had been sent, the nurses indicated they were still in the process of resuscitating them.
Five of the injured, including a child, were being treated at the Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital, but the driver of the bus, who sustained some minor injuries, had his treatment at the Saltpond Municipal Hospital and was discharged shortly afterwards.
A family member of one of the injured told Citi News at the hospital: “Our sister bade farewell to us early this morning that she was going to her husband at Accra, and the next thing we heard was she had been involved in an accident”.
As at the time Citi News was leaving the hospital at Mankessim, an ambulance service was ready to transfer three of the injured to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
ALSO FROM GHANA
Presidential convoy involved in an accident; Deputy Chief of Staff injured
The mangled car after the accident
Francis Asenso Boakye survived the near-fatal accident after an articulated truck ran into the presidential convoy at 1:45 am at Konongo in the Ashanti Region. One side of the vehicle he was traveling in was mangled after the crash.
The president, who is safe, was on his way to the Brong Ahafo Region to begin a working visit. He has since arrived at his destination, Myjoyonline.com has learned.
Francis Asenso Boakye was rushed to the hospital and has been treated and discharged.
Sources say the president led a cabinet meeting late Thursday and began the journey to Brong Ahafo soon after the meeting.
On reaching Konongo, an articulated truck driver, refused to stop when he was signaled by the outriders to do so.
General news item: Tesla’s Autopilot used to be a huge advantage for the company— but now it’s becoming a problem (TSLA)
Mark Matousek Business Insider 220
- Tesla‘s Autopilot is a semi-autonomous driver assistance feature that, among other things, can keep a car in its lane and adjust its speed based on surrounding traffic.
- Two fatal accidents involving Autopilot have illustrated the concerns some auto companies have about semi-autonomous driver assistance systems and whether enough drivers use them correctly.
- Tesla has repeatedly said Autopilot is meant to be used with an attentive driver whose hands are on the wheel.
- But analysts have pointed to decisions the company has made when promoting the feature that, in aggregate, have the potential to create false impressions about Autopilot.
A feature that was supposed to set Tesla apart from its competition has been doing so for the wrong reasons lately.
Tesla’s Autopilot system is a semi-autonomous driver assistance feature that, among other things, can keep a car in its lane and adjust its speed based on surrounding traffic. (Tesla considers safety features that were made possible by the Autopilot hardware, like automatic emergency braking, to be part of the Autopilot suite, but those safety features come standard in Tesla vehicles and can activate even if a customer does not buy or use the “Enhanced Autopilot” package, which includes the semi-autonomous features. Concerns about Autopilot have focused on the semi-autonomous features, like Autosteer)
Since its launch in 2015, Autopilot has been one of Elon Musk’s main talking points and has helped the electric carmaker garner a reputation as a leader in automotive tech. But recently, Autopilot has put Tesla in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Two fatal accidents have raised questions
KTVU via Associated Press
Since Autopilot was released, two fatal accidents have illustrated the concerns some auto companies have about semi-autonomous driver assistance systems and whether enough drivers use them correctly.
The first came in 2016, when Joshua Brown was killed after his Model S crashed into a semi truck in Florida while Autopilot was engaged. The vehicle’s data logs revealed that Brown had his hands on the wheel for 25 seconds of the 37 minutes Autopilot was activated during the trip, and that Brown had received seven visual and six auditory warnings to return his hands to the wheel. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Autopilot was not responsible for the accident and did not identify any defects in the feature, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the feature played a role in the crash.
“Tesla allowed the driver to use the system outside the environment for which it was designed, and the system gave far too much leeway to the driver to divert his attention to something other than driving,” NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt said in 2017.
Two months after the accident, Tesla rolled out a feature that disables Autopilot once multiple warnings to apply sufficient torque to the wheel are ignored in a software update.
The second fatal accident occurred in March, when a Model X crashed into a highway barrier in California. The driver, Wei Huang, was taken to a hospital and later died. The NTSB has yet to complete its investigation into the accident, but the agency confirmed that Autopilot was engaged during the collision. Tesla said Huang had received multiple warnings to put his hands on the wheel during the drive and indicated that a shortened impact attenuator increased the damage to Huang and the vehicle.
The most recent accident involving Autopilot came on May 11, when a Model S hit a fire department vehicle in Utah. The driver had Autopilot engaged at the time of the accident, but also said she was using her phone. She suffered a broken ankle as a result of the incident.
In a report Tesla provided to the South Jordan Police Department, the company said the driver took her hands off the wheel over 12 times during the drive, including for the 80 seconds before the collision.
Tobacco truck overturns at Pembi bridge
A truck loaded with 38 bails of tobacco overturned at Pembi bridge in Mvurwi this morning.
An eyewitness told Bulawayo24.com that two people were seriously injured.
“Truck loaded with 38 bails of tobacco at Pembi bridge Mvurwi overturned this morning, injuring 2 seriously. They are currently admitted to Mvurwi hospital,” said the source.
It is not yet clear what might have caused the accident.
Police commander knocked dead in Kampala
19th May 2018 By JOSEPH KATO
KAMPALA- Police in Kampala are searching for a driver who Thursday knocked dead the commander of Kyebando Police Post, Francis Kato.
The deceased, according to a message from Kira Road Division Police Commander, Mr Michael Kasigyire, was knocked dead by a speeding car. He was on the way from Kira Road Police Station.
“Kira Road [Police] with deep sorrow announce the untimely death of ASP Kato, the OC Kyebando Police Post. The officer was knocked dead by an unidentified car while he was from duty at Kira Road where he worked as duty officer. He was returning to his duty beat at Kyebando and he met his death. His body has been conveyed to city mortuary for a post-mortem. Rest in peace son,” Mr Kasigyire’s message which he shared on social media platforms, reads in part.
In November last year, the Mukono Division Commander of the defunct Flying Squad Unit, Rwego Muhoozi died in an accident on Ntenjeru-Katosi Road while running after suspected robbers.
Ghana: Why more deaths on the roads?
19th May 2018. Ghana Today with A.C. OHENE Writer’s Email: obk.press@yahoo.com
BACK AT my holy village, one popular question we regularly posed at kiddie times was “I didn’t say?” Obviously, this was a transliteration from the Akan one-word sentence “Manka?” You used it when what you predicted, or forewarned of, but which people rejected or underrated, came to pass. “Manka?!” you would ask with exclamation. Often you would demand your stone: Fa me buor ma me!” Give me my stone is the direct translation.
Often, those that disputed your prediction or ridiculed your warning would, without you asking first, carry a piece of rock and place it safely under your feet. “Gye wobuor,” or “Wobuor nie!” settles the call for vindication. Otherwise the rejected stone that had now become the cornerstone for the building reserved the right to press for acknowledgement and even apology from the builders who rejected the stone in the first place. I didn’t say?
Three Es
What am I saying? I am saying I told you so. I told you that most of the prescriptions of the President for remedying the escalating auto accidents on our roads – though obviously well-intended – were going to be unnecessary, ineffectual and plain waste of resources. Of his three pillars of Education, Engineering and (Law) Enforcement, you’d recall me saying only the last E – Enforcement – was necessary and likely to be efficacious. Why do I feel vindicated? No road markings have been added to the existing ones as a result of the President’s instruction. If our drivers, motorists and pedestrians were uninformed on the dos and don’ts of roads and highways use, they still remain ignorant whether or not some educational campaigns have been launched or intensified. Surely, enforcement of traffic regulations remains as lax as they’ve been from the foreseeable past. And the result? More auto crashes. More deaths. More broken limbs.
Read more at http://www.ahomkafm.com/?p=39801&utm_source=veooz&utm_medium=referral
Pupil killed and 24 injured in crash on their way to school
2018-05-18 Mxolisi Mngadi
A 19-year-old pupil has died and 24 others were injured when the minibus taxi they were travelling in overturned. (KZN EMS)
A 19-year-old pupil died and 24 others were injured when the minibus taxi they were travelling in overturned in Sawoti on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
The accident happened shortly after 07:00.
The minibus left the road and overturned in the sugarcane field next to the road, police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said.
“The minibus was travelling on a gravel road,” she said. She added that the 24 injured pupils and the driver had been taken to hospital.
“The driver will be charged with culpable homicide,” said Mbhele.
KwaZulu-Natal Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert McKenzie said primary and high school pupils were being transported at the time of the accident.
Meanwhile in another accident on Friday morning, 20 people were injured, including eighteen children who were on their way to school, after two taxis and two vehicles collided on Khululeka Drive in Clermont, west of Durban.
Garrith Jamieson from Rescue Care Paramedics said they arrived at the scene just after 08:00 to find four vehicles had been involved in the crash.
“Multiple school children had been hurt and some were removed to the local clinic which was nearby. A total of 20 people had sustained various injuries ranging from minor to serious. The injured were treated by nurses, doctors and paramedics before being transported to various Durban hospitals for the further care that they required,” he said.
He said at this stage the events leading up to the crash were unknown, “however SAPS were on the scene and will be investigating further”.
Crash Involving Yutong Bus Kills 3
Daily Guide 18th May 2018 
The yotoung bus after the accident
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the accident happened at a spot where a new speed ramp is currently being constructed by the Ghana Highway Authority.
According to reports, the bus, with customized registration number, Freedom 1-15, which was moving from Aflao to Elubo, was carrying about 53 passengers – most of who were Ivorians – when the accident occurred.
DSP Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), who confirmed the accident to DAILY GUIDE, indicated that it occurred at about 4:15 am yesterday.
She disclosed that the accident occurred when the Aflao to Elubo bound Yutong bus collided head-on with a tipper truck with registration number GE 3350-14.
She added that the three people – two males and a female – were confirmed dead on the spot while others who were seriously injured were rushed to the St. Benedict and the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospitals for treatment.
Overloaded kombi kills 4 on the spot
An overloaded Chiweshe bound Toyota 
killed four people on the spot, injuring 16 when the driver George Marisa (27) lost control of the vehicle after a rear tyre burst at the 52 km peg along Harare-Chiweshe highway yesterday (Wednesday)
Mashonaland Central acting police spokesperson Petros Masikati confirmed the fatal accident without saying the number.
“The accident happened yesterday (Wednesday) but we are still investigating on the fatalities, the vehicle is said to have burst a left rear tyre before losing control, veering off the road and overturning” Masikati confirmed.
Eight of the sixteen injured are reportedly in critical condition and were rushed to Concession Hospital.
The police allege the accident was due to speeding and excess load hence they appealed for public transporters to desist from speeding and overloading.
Preliminary investigations proved that the vehicle was speeding and had excess passengers on board, said Masikati.
“We are calling for these transporters to take it easy on the roads, avoid excess load and above all these people should also check their vehicles before leaving their pick up points.”
Myths About Alcohol
Myths About Alcohol
Think you know it all when it comes to shooters, beers, wines and spirits? Take this quiz to test your knowledge. Write true or false next to each statement and see how you fare concerning the truths and myths about alcohol.
Answers are at the bottom but try to answer without peeking!
1. I’m a very good driver so I can handle driving after drinking a few beers and am unlikely to cause problems.
2. It’s OK to drink and drive when you live close to the place where the drinking is happening.
3. It’s better not to drink during pregnancy.
4. Drugs and alcohol should not mix.
5. A strong cup of coffee will help break down the alcohol in your system more quickly.
6. Alcohol affects different people in different ways.
7. All alcoholic drinks contain the same amount of alcohol.
8. Switching between different types of alcoholic beverages such as wine and spirits will cause you to get drunk more quickly.
9. Drinking can lower inhibitions.
10. I will never be in an accident caused by drinking and driving because I’m a good driver and drinking actually makes me more aware of what’s happening on the road.
Answers
1 – False. 2 – False. 3 – True. 4 – True. 5 – False. 6 – True. 7 – False. 8 – False. 9 – True. 10 – False.
AB InBev Namibia and The Weekender aim to promote smart drinking for a better world.
Multiple people injured in a crash on DInkelman Highway near Claremont
17 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
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Just after 7 am Rescue Care Paramedics were called to DInkelman Highway near Claremont for a Taxi collision. On arrival, Paramedics found that a taxi and a bakkie had been involved in a rear-end collision. A total of fourteen people had sustained various injuries and were stabilized on the scene by multiple ambulances before being transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.Then just after 07:30 am Rescue Care, Paramedics responded to the M7 Durban Bound near the N3 on-ramp for a Truck and a Car Collision. On arrival, Paramedics found that the truck had overturned coming to rest on its side in the fast lane. Three occupants from both vehicles had sustained moderate injuries and were stabilized on the scene before being transported to various Hospitals for the further care that they required.A single vehicle overturned on the M13 near Westwood Mall around 07:45. Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the single vehicle on its side in the center medium. The driver had sustained moderate injuries and was stabilized on the scene before being transported to a nearby Hospital for the further care that they required.Around 08:45 Paramedics attended to a single vehicle crash on the M13 Fields Hill. One occupant had sustained minor injuries and was treated on the scene by Paramedics before transporting them to a nearby Hospital for the further care that they required.SAPS were on scene at all the above collisions and will be investigating further.Also view
Truck drives over car in horror KZN N2 crash
The truck went over the light motor vehicle, entrapping the deceased driver. Photo: IPSS Medical Rescue.
Traffic was severely backed up and diverted on to the oncoming fast lane.
One person was killed after a fuel tanker collided with a car on the N2 near the Tugela bridge in KwaZulu-Natal this morning, North Coast Courier reports.Paramedics arrived to find the driver of the car had succumbed to their injuries.
“The truck went over the light motor vehicle, entrapping the deceased driver,” said Paul Herbst of IPSS Medical Rescue.
The KwaDukuza Fire Department used the jaws of life to free the body from the wreckage.
The driver of the truck escaped with minor injuries. Traffic was severely backed up and was diverted into the oncoming fast lane. The N2 northbound lane remained closed until the scene was cleared.
Three dead, two hospitalised after bus accident
The wheel loader from the trailer hit the bus, damaging the left hand side of the bus where all the deceased were seated.
KIBOGA- Three people died on spot and two others sustained injuries following a bus accident that occurred on the Kampala-Hoima highway on Monday night.
The Link Bus registration number UAM 492B with over 60 passengers on board was travelling from Kampala to Hoima district when it was hit by a speeding trailer carrying a wheel loader moving in the opposite direction.
The Wamala region Police spokesperson, Norbert Ochom, in a phone interview said the accident occurred at around 10:30pm at Kiyamba in Bukomero sub-county in Kiboga district.
He identified one of the deceased as Byamungu Kibiika, a Congolese refugee and a resident of Makindye, a Kampala suburb.
He said the injured Dick Musimenta, 20, a resident of Kabaale in Buseruka sub-county, Hoima district and Chris Nuwaninda, 22, a resident of Kikonda in Kyankwanzi district were by press time receiving treatment at Kiboga hospital.
Ochom added that Police is hunting for the driver of the Link Bus, Karoli Wamala, 50, who is currently on the run.
He said the trailer, which is yet to be identified, took off immediately after the accident, adding that they are also co-ordinating with traffic along that route to impound it.
He could not tell the cause of the accident because it was at night.
An eyewitness has told New Vision that the wheel loader from the trailer hit the bus, damaging the left hand side of the bus where all the deceased were seated.
However, other unconfirmed reports indicate that the driver of the trailer hit the bus after he failed to negotiate a corner at the said spot.
Yahaya Kugonza, the manager of Link Bus Hoima terminal, confirmed the accident, but said it could have been bad driving on the side of the trailer driver.
1 838 killed in 2017 road accidents
At least five people died daily in road accidents in 2017, as the number of fatalities in traffic crashes rose by 10%, statistics from the Traffic Safety Council in Zimbabwe (TSCZ) reveal.
A total of 1 838 deaths were recorded last year, while 10 489 were injured in 42 430 crashes that occurred in 2017, translating to 153 deaths monthly.
The accidents reveal a 10% rise from 2016 figures, which had 38 620 crashes that killed 1 721 travellers.
December had the highest number of crashes due to the festive season rush − at 5 175 − resulting in 240 deaths and 1 357 injuries, the statistics reveal.
“A total of 1 336 drivers were involved in the road traffic crashes, which occurred in the period under study,” the TSCZ statistics given to NewsDay on request by the organisation’s information, communications and technology manager, Tatenda Chinoda showed.
“Out of the 1 336 drivers involved in the 2017 crashes, 88,2% were males, 3,8% were females and 7,9% were unknown, thereby, representing hit and run situations.”
The 26 to 35 years age group topped the 2017 accidents list − with a frequency of 471, the data showed.
Unlicensed drivers also had a high frequency of 475 accidents.
The grim statistics also reveal that most of the unlicensed drivers involved in the accidents were driving public service vehicles which demand that they undergo defensive driving lessons.
“The death of breadwinners and young professionals due to preventable road traffic crashes is unacceptable at all costs. It is estimated that the loss of lives and limbs per year due to road traffic crashes is costing low income nations like Zimbabwe up to 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP).
“Assuming that Zimbabwe’s GDP is $14 billion, then, per year the country loses about $406 million annually due to road carnage,” a research paper by TSCZ released last month titled A Critical Analysis of the 2017-2018 Festive Season Fatal Road Traffic Crashes in Zimbabwe further reveals. In the 2016 report, TSCZ blames human error − not bad roads – as the main cause for road traffic accidents that occurred then.
Traffic accident kills 6 in eastern Ethiopia
15th May 2018
A car accident in Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state has killed six people, a regional official said on Monday, Xinhua reported.
Seyum Degefu, East Hararge Zone Police Division Communication Head, said the accident occurred when a truck carrying passengers and animals overturned and crashed, eventually killing six people and dozens of animals, state news agency ENA reported on Monday.
Degefu also said that the accident, which happened on Sunday night while traveling to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, also left additional six people, who were aboard the truck, with serious and light physical injuries.
The East African country, with one of the lowest per capita car ownership in the world, often encounter deadly traffic accidents with blames put on bad roads, flawed driving license issuance system and negligent enforcement of road safety.
Another car accident had last week killed nine people in central Ethiopia. The accident happened when a freight truck traveling on the road lost direction, crashing into two homes on the side of the road, killing nine people who were asleep when the truck crashed into their homes.
Traffic accidents during the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2016/17 that ended on July 8 in 2017 led to the deaths of 4,500 people, according to Ethiopia Federal Transport Authority.
Fifteen people injured in a taxi crash on Kyalami Road near Hillclimb Road in Westmead
Fifteen people have been injured after a taxi accident on Kyalami Road near Hillclimb Road in Westmead on Saturday night.
Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the two badly damaged vehicles. Paramedics found multiply injured and immediately requested more ambulances to assist. A total of fifteen people had sustained various injuries and once all were stabilized on the scene they were transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.
At this stage, the events leading up to the collision is unknown however SAPS will be investigating further.
Four people Injured in a single-vehicle crash on the M19 Durban Bound near Blair Atholl
15 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
Four people have sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate after a single vehicle rolled on the M19 Durban Bound near Blair Atholl on Sunday morning around 08:30 am.Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find a single vehicle had somehow lost control and overturned coming to rest on its wheels. Four passengers had sustained various injuries and more resources were sent to assist. Advanced Life Support Paramedics worked to stabilizethe injured on scene before transporting them to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.Ghana: 12 die in gory crash on Ebony Reigns accident road
Source: Ghana I Nhyira FM I Ohemeng Tawiah I ohemengtawiah@gmail.com
Date: 14-05-2018
The mangled Ford mini bus
Twelve people have been confirmed dead in a fatal accident which occurred at Akwatiakrom in the Ahafo Ano South District of the Ashanti region last Sunday.
A Ford mini bus, travelling from Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo region to Kumasi in the Ashanti regional capital collided head-on with a cargo truck travelling from Mankraso. The crash left 11 dead males, including the driver of the Ford mini bus and a female.
Police sources say foggy weather condition hampered visibility on the road.
The 15-seater mini bus, with registration AS 7257-15 veered off its lane onto that of the cargo truck with registration GR 2624-14 travelling from Kumasi to Dormaa Ahenkro to load cashew.
Three people, including the driver of the Benz cargo truck who survived the accident are currently on admission at the Bechem Government Hospital.
It took Fire Service serveral minutes to arrive at the scene from Sunyani after police from Mankraso were called to help convey both the injured and dead to hospital as well as manage traffic.
This is the second time in three month that fatal accident has been recorded on that stretch. Hiplife artiste, Ebony Reigns, her friend- Franklin Kuri and military officer said to be her bodyguard Atsu Vondee died on the spot when their Jeep vehicle crashed into a bus on the Mankraso-Sunyani stretch of the main Kumasi-Sunyani road in February this year.
Monday’s accident is less than 4 kilometers away from Ebony Reigns accident scene.
Meanwhile, ten of the bodies have been deposited at the Trust Laboratory mortuary whilst two have been deposited at the Duayaw Nkwanta Hospital morgue.
21 Injured in School bus accident at Ga Mothapo
14 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
School bus accident Ga Mothapo: 31 patients on sceneAll patients transported to Mankweng Hospital (4 patients serious and 17 slight injuries)[Traffic Police Services in Limpopo]Muranga public board boss Waithaka dies in crash
SUNDAY MAY 13 2018
These combined images taken on May 13, 2018 show Murang’a Public Service Board chairman Titus Waithaka’s vehicle impaled by a guard rail on Thika Road, Nairobi. He died in the crash. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Murang’a Public Service Board chairman Titus Waithaka has died in a road crash in Nairobi, Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has confirmed.
Mr Waithaka died on Sunday morning after his vehicle hit a guard rail on Thika Road, Nairobi.
Three killed, one injured in head-on collision on the R304, Stellenbosch
13 May 2018 | From Arrive Alive
Three people were killed and one person sustained moderate injuries in a head-on collision between two vehicles on the R304 in Stellenbosch last night. At approximately 20h00,
ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene and found a man and a woman had been declared dead by provincial emergency services. Unfortunately there was nothing ER24 paramedics could do to save a woman from the second vehicle, and she was declared dead by our paramedics.Another woman, believed to be in her 20s, sustained moderate injuries and she was transported to Mediclinic Cape Gate for further medical care.
Zimbabwe opposition leader dies in car crash
AN aspiring Presidential candidate in the forthcoming general election has reportedly died in a car crash on his way from South Africa to Zimbabwe on the eve of the launch of his political party.
Josphat Mungwariri Ushewokunze, founder and President of the Zimbabwe Democratic Change (ZDC), died in a car accident in South Africa just a day before the launch of his party which was scheduled for Friday, May 11 at a local hotel.
The party’s Vice President, Thomas Sibanda said he would give further details at a press conference scheduled for this Saturday.
More than 100 political parties have expressed interest in participating in the historic general elections, which will for the first time in the country‘s history since 2002, be without Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe.
Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer of the colon in February this year while his nemesis Mugabe was toppled by the military in November 2017.
The main contenders for the presidency for this year’s elections are the MDC-T’s Nelson Chamisa and Zanu-PF’s Emmerson Mnangagwa.
7 killed after train, vehicle collide at level crossing
Seven people have been killed in a crash at the Butttskop level crossing in Blackheath. (Supplied by Kenny Africa)
An accident involving a train and a vehicle on Friday morning left seven people dead, Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa has confirmed.
Traffic services and police were still on the scene of the crash, which took place at about 06:00.
Metrorail said train crews were receiving “medical and emotional support” and there were no reports of commuters being injured.
Trains to Strand and Muldersvlei would terminate at Kuils River until the scene had been cleared. City of Cape Town traffic services spokesperson Richard Coleman said Buttskop Road had been closed at Van Riebeek and Range Roads.
Human error Metrorail spokesperson, Zino Mihi, said seven men in their early 30s travelling in a Toyota Hilux bakkie died at the scene. “It was … human error. There are booms and a camera, but the bakkie ignored the signals. It was not their time to cross,” she said. “Before them a taxi did it, thinking they had time.”
Eight years ago, ten children died and four were seriously injured at the crossing on August 25, 2010. Taxi driver Jacob Humphreys was convicted of 10 counts of culpable homicide following the horror crash involving his vehicle and a train. Humphreys overtook a queue of cars waiting at the crossing and tried to cross the railway line even though the safety booms were down.
Humphreys, from Eerste River, was initially handed a 20-year prison sentence in the Western Cape High Court, which the Supreme Court of Appeal reduced to eight years in 2012. It set aside 10 murder counts, replacing them with 10 counts of culpable homicide. It also set aside four counts of attempted murder.
(Supplied by Kenny Africa)
6 Killed in head-on collision in Limpopo
28 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
On the D19 near Mamadila village Capricorn district a VW Golf entered the road unsafely, lost control and collided head-on with a BMW.6x deceased (1from VW Golf and 05 Pass including one from BMW.3x very seriously injured( Driver from BMW and Passenger)
Time:18H05
Possible Cause: Reckless driving
Scores injured in 15-vehicle chain collision on Accra-Tema motorway
27th April 2018
According to police on the scene, no deaths were recorded
At least 15 vehicles have been wrecked in an accident at Dzorwulu on the Accra-Tema motorway after a trailer fully loaded with bags of cement run into them on the stretch of the road late Wednesday, 25 2018.
According to eyewitnesses, the truck with registration number AW 9038-12 heading from Tema failed its brakes some few metres away from the Dzorwulu traffic light.
Watch: https://content.jwplatform.com/players/rljcUY0F-GtVgZhNx.html
Upon realizing the impending danger, the driver’s mate reportedly descended from the truck and raised alarm for hawkers and other road users to flee the oncoming vehicle.
The truck driver on his part is said to have tried maneuvering his way off the road to avoid running into other vehicles in his way but all efforts to avoid causing mass destruction proved futile as vehicles in the rush-hour traffic heading in the same direction were immobile.
The trailer ended up ramming into salon cars, taxis, commercial buses and pickup trucks in a sequel which caused heavy vehicular traffic on the stretch of the road.
Police officer R. Nketia of the Motor Traffic and Tranport Unit (MTTU) of the Airport Division who confirmed the incident to GhanaWeb said fifteen cars were smashed in the process.
Three people killed and several others injured following taxi and truck collision on the Houtkop Road in Sebokeng
27 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive (1).jpeg)
Three people have been killed and several others injured this morning following a collision between a taxi and truck on the Houtkop Road in Sebokeng.
ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene at 07h30 to find the Provincial Services already in attendance, attending to some of the patients. A truck was found parked in the middle of the road while a wrecked taxi was found on the opposite side.
Upon closer inspection, paramedics found the bodies of two men and a woman lying trapped inside the taxi. Unfortunately, all three patients had already succumbed to their numerous injuries. Nothing could be done for them and they were declared dead.
Several other patients were found at the scene. Three were found in a critical condition while several other had sustained minor to moderate injuries.
Paramedics treated the patients and provided them with advanced life support interventions. Once treated, one of the critically injured patients was airlifted to a nearby hospital by the ER24 Oneplan Helicopter.
ER24 paramedics transported the remaining two critically injured, as well as five others, to nearby hospitals. The Provincial Services transported several other to various hospitals.
Durban: 4 injured in crash on Umhlangane Road
26 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
Durban: At approximately 14H17 Wednesday afternoon Netcare 911 responded to reports of a serious collision on Umhlangane road in Avoca.Upon arrival of the Netcare 911 Paramedic multiple ambulance services were already in attendance with law enforcement officials and the Ethekwini Fire and Rescue services.Reports from the scene indicate that a light motor vehicle and a truck were involved in a “T-Bone” type collision.Four people were injured in the collision who were treated on scene and transported by various services to hospital for further treatment.Kombi, train accident kills 4
Four people died while 10 others were injured when a Toyota Hiace commuter omnibus they were travelling in was hit by a goods train at a railway level crossing near Windsor Park turnoff in Ruwa on last night.
In a statement, national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the death of four people in a road accident at a railway level crossing line along Sansauce Road near Windsor Park turnoff in Harare on 24 April 2018 at around 19.30hours,” he said.
He said the Toyota Hiace was being driven by a 33-year-old man along Sansauce road with 16 passengers on board.
Bangladesh: Govt must heed road safety recommendations
(Yes, I know its not Africa but the problem is the same for NRSC’s in Africa, so speak out like these brave men and women – Ed).
Apr 25,2018
THE recommendations that the National Road Safety Council — which was set up in 1995 under the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to work with 24 government agencies to take police-level, safety-related decisions, work out action plans and give directives to road safety-related stakeholders and monitor them so that traffic accidents could be prevented — coming to have been ignored for years on end is disappointing while the number of road accidents, especially fatal, keep taking place across the country.
In 2011, a committee that the council set up submitted 52 short-term recommendations on road safety such as the appointment letter and fixed work hour for transport workers, no lease-out of public transports, awareness of traffic rules and regulations, strict adherence to rules in driver’s licence and fitness certificate procedures, driver’s education and strict implementation of traffic rules. But the government has been reluctant at implementing the recommendations, which betrays a general apathy of the government to road safety issues. And such unwillingness has only added to the scope for such fatal accidents to recur, to the endangerment of passengers and passers-by. A student, a few days, ago died after he had lost his forearm on April 3 as two buses, in a mindless competition, brushed each other in the capital.
The list of such accidents is not very short. A transport worker lost his arm in an accident involving a truck and a bus in Golapganj. The Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh comes up with the figure of 1,841 people left dead while 5,477 were left injured in 1,779 accidents across the country this year until April 20. The association has found that 87 per cent of public transports in the capital flout traffic rules and regulations.
The High Court on April 4 directed the government to explain its inaction about ensuring the safety of passengers by controlling reckless driving but no visible movement on part of the government has as yet been noticed. Researchers, experts and civic groups have for years been talking about the lack of political will on part of the government to make roads safe for people. They have blamed an unholy alliance involving some corrupt government officials and transport operators for movement of unfit vehicles, reckless driving by unskilled drivers, rampant traffic rules violations and culture of impunity for this.
The situation has become pervasive even in government agencies. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority statistics show that fitness certificates of 56,410 vehicles, which include 3,740 vehicles that belong to government agencies, have not been renewed for decades.
The government, under the circumstances, must immediately heed the recommendations that the National Road Safety Council has made and start implementing them. The government must also mend its own flaws, by obeying rules and regulations by way of having the fitness certificates of its vehicles renewed and, at the same time, asking its agencies involved in road traffic management to act stringently to stop road accidents.
Launch of United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund
An estimated 1.25 million people are killed every year in road traffic accidents (RTA’s), and up to 50 million more are injured, often seriously.
Beyond human suffering, road traffic deaths and injuries cause significant economic losses to individuals and societies, keeping millions of people in poverty and creating an estimated $1.85 trillion burden on the global economy each year. This makes addressing road safety one of the most pressing social, economic, health and development challenges of our time.
The United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund, launched today in New York City, aims to accelerate progress in improving global road safety by bridging the gaps in the mobilization of resources for effective action at all levels.
Established at the request of the Secretary-General following the suggestion made by United Nations Member States, the Fund will mobilise resources from governments, intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations, the private sector, philanthropic organisations and individuals.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) estimates that every $1,500 contributed to the Road Safety Trust Fund could:
- save one life
- prevent ten serious injuries
- leverage $51,000 in road safety investment.
Speaking at the launch of the Fund, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, said “I strongly welcome the establishment of the United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund, which has the potential to galvanize our global efforts to address the road safety situation, building on the progress made and experience gained over the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. I call on the support of all partners in mobilizing the resources necessary to reduce the number of fatalities on the world’s roads”.
By bringing key stakeholders together, the United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund will support increased action and enhanced impact in addressing critical road safety challenges. In this spirit, important pledges to contribute as founding donors were made at the Fund’s launch by the FIA Foundation, and two members of the FIA High Level Panel for Road Safety, Total and 3M, who build on a long history of support to concrete initiatives and innovation to improve road safety. A number of governments have also expressed their support for the activities of the Fund.
The United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund will focus on strengthening the capacity of government agencies, local governments and city authorities to develop and implement road safety programmes, prioritizing projects in low and middle-income countries.
For more information, read the full press release here(link is external).
Motorist critically injured in bus crash in Empangeni
24th April 2018
RTI traffic officials on the scene take down the details to help with the investigation into the cause of the accident PHOTO: Orrin Singh
ONE person was critically injured on Saturday afternoon when a bus collided with a Toyota Corolla at the R102 and R34 intersection in Empangeni.
The driver of the Corolla was taken to Ngwelezana Hospital in a critical condition.
The bus driver sustained minor injuries, while two bus passengers escaped injury.
Tipper truck kills two in Ahwetieso
A Man Diesel Tipper truck with registration number WR 1166-15 crashed two people to death at the outskirts of Ahwetieso in the Tarkwa Nsueam Municipality.
The deceased were travelling in a Nissan Primera with registration number WR 1591-W when the incident happened.
They have been identified as Alhaji Shaibu Suleman, a 56 year-old contractor and scrap dealer and Tingani Mohammed, a 40 year-old excavator operator. Both bodies have been deposited at the Apinto Government Hospital morgue for autopsy.
The Divisional Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) Commander for Tarkwa Nsueam, Superintendent of Police Mrs Victoria Yamoah, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
Superintendent Yamoah said on April 20, at about 16.30hours, the Tipper Truck driver, Enock Nuala, 37, lodged a complaint at the Tarkwa Police Station that his vehicle had been involved in an accident.
The MTTD Commander said based on the information she led officers in her outfit to the accident scene and gathered that the suspect driver was travelling from Tarkwa towards Ahwetieso.
She said on reaching some few meters from Welham Company’s building at the outskirts of Ahwetieso, his vehicle veered into the opposite lane and crashed with the oncoming Nissan Primera which was then driven by Alhaji Suleman with Mohammed on board.
She explained that the two occupants were trapped to death in the badly damaged vehicle.
“It took us some time but with the assistance of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and other teams we were able to get them out of the car,” She added.
Superintendent Yamoah emphasized that both vehicles have been towed from the accident scene to ensure safety of road users.
The suspect driver is currently in police custody for interrogation.
One killed, one critical after car rolls on N3 and N12 split in Germiston
23 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
A man, believed to be in his late 20s, was killed and a woman is in a critical condition after the vehicle they were traveling in rolled at the N3 and N12 split in Germiston this morning.The woman who is in a critical condition was airlifted to Sunshine Hospital by the ER24 and OnePlan Medical helicopter to receive further medical care.
Two more people sustained moderate injuries and they were transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care.
At approximately 08h00, ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene and found that two patients were ejected from the car.
5 killed, 3 seriously injured in car crash
22 April 2018 Jan Bornman
A collision between two sedans led to five dying on N11 towards Amersfoort. (Supplied) Johannesburg – Five people were killed when two cars collided on the N11 towards Amersfoot in Mpumalanga on Saturday.
A 10-year-old child was among those who perished, said Joseph Mabuza, spokesperson for the Department of Community Safety and Liaison.
“Three seriously injured people, who include the driver of one of the sedans, were rushed to a nearby hospital in Amersfoort,” he added.
Mabuza said the cause of the accident, which occurred on Saturday afternoon, would be investigated.
Ghana: One dies in gory accident at Suame Magazine
21st April 2018
The Suame Magazine accident, killing one, involved a flour truck and a faulty stationary fuel tanker. One person has been confirmed dead at the Tarkwa Junction on the Suame Magazine road, after a truck with registration number GB – 8466 -12 loaded with baking flour ran into a faulty stationary fuel tanker on the side of the road.
The incident, according to eyewitnesses, happened around 3.00am, Friday, April 20, 2018.
They mentioned that the flour truck, upon approaching the junction on top speed, lost control, as he tried swerving a pothole, then slammed into the stationary fuel tanker.
The victim who is believed to be a young Ghanaian auto-mechanic lost his life after the back tyres of the fuel tanker he was sleeping under ran over him because of the impact.
The residents further told Ultimate News that the pothole which has developed over the time at that particular junction and not received any attention after several complaints is the probable cause of this and many other accidents in the area.
There was no warning triangle to show drivers and other road users of an impending danger.
Zambia Police raise K 10 million in Traffic fines in the first quarter of 2018
THE Zambia police service says it raised K10,176,530 in Admission of Guilt fines during the first quarter of 2018.
Last year, the police service raised K10,265,250 from Admission of Guilt fines in the same period last year.
And police in the same period under review recorded 396 deaths from road traffic accidents compared to 480 deaths recorded in the first quarter of 2017.
Police Public Relations Manager Esther Katongo has said in a statement.
“During the first quarter of 2018, a total number of 7,247 road traffic accidents were recorded compared to 7, 068 recorded in 2017, indicating an increase by 179 road traffic accidents,” Katongo said.
She said the number of people who died in road accidents in the first quarter has decreased by 84 from the total number recorder under the same period last year.
Meanwhile, Katongo said 673 persons were seriously injured while 1,960 persons sustained minor.
And Katongo said the service recorded 3,503 total numbers of casualties in the same period under review.
She said Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of accidents with 3,822 accidents with 106 deaths, followed by Copperbelt with 1,199 accidents with 89 deaths while Central ranked third with 460 accidents with 43 deaths
7 killed in horrific accident
When our Mutare Bureau attended the scene around midday, bodies were still strewn all over the scene.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa said the names of the deceased would be released once their next of kin have been advised.
Witnesses said the Toyota Wish burst a rear left tyre and the driver failed to control the vehicle, which encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic leading to the collision. “We arrived at the scene minutes after it happened. The Toyota Wish was loaded and some of the deceased were trapped before we retrieved their bodies.
“We heard a bang and rushed to the scene. One of the deceased was rushed to the hospital but died on his way to the hospital,” said one of the witnesses.
Mutare Rural District Nyamajura Ward 1 Clr Luxton Mawanga who attended the scene said the place had become a black spot. “A number of fatal accidents have occurred around this spot and it’s worrisome. I recently witnessed a pedestrian being knocked down by a car near the spot,” he said.
* A 46-year-old Beitbridge man was allegedly shot and killed by his cousin under unclear circumstances as they travelled back to their South African base on Sunday afternoon. A passerby stumbled on the injured Partwel Moyo near Makakavule area about 20km west of the border town. He had multiple gunshot wounds.
It is reported that Partwel had left his homestead in Zezani with his cousin Justice Moyo (48). Sources close to investigations said the two were travelling to South Africa in Justice’s vehicle. “Partwel was picked by a passerby who informed the police.
“His condition was critical and he was rushed to Beitbridge district hospital where he was referred for further managed at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH). He died upon admission,” said one source. Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said they were investigation a case of murder. “We are keen to interrogate one Justice Moyo in connection with the case. The motive behind the shooting is yet to be established.
“The suspect (Justice Moyo) is still at large and we are calling on anyone with information or Moyo to contact the nearest police station,” said Inspector Ndebele.
Windhoek: Man dies in collision
DEADLY COLLISION … A pickup truck and a truck collided yesterday morning, resulting in the truck to overturn across the road and killing one person.
A 21-YEAR-OLD man died in a motor vehicle accident yesterday morning after the pickup he was driving collided with a truck on the Windhoek-Rehoboth road.
Police spokesperson deputy commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi said the incident happened at around 04h30.
The deceased has been identified as 21-year-old Liam Denzil. He was the only occupant of the pick-up, travelling from Windhoek in the direction of Rehoboth.
His next of kin have been informed of his death.
According to Kanguatjivi, the pickup and a truck collided, resulting in the truck overturning across the road.
One passenger in the truck was slightly injured, while the driver escaped unharmed.
Many commuters between Windhoek and Rehoboth were also delayed as the accident caused the traffic to come to a standstill for some time.
Car crash claims two
Two people died on the spot in Mt Darwin in the early hours of Independence day, Bulawayo24.com has learnt.
According to Mr Precious Chitofu, the accident occurred 4kilometers from Mt Darwin at Karuyara Bridge where a council worker drove in a bridge.
“The accident happened this morning around 02:00hours when Mt Darwin council employee Mr Njanja who was on his way to Dotito drove on a bridge and perished with an unidentified passenger,” said Chitofu.
When Bulawayo24.com visited the scene broken alcohol bottles could be seen in the wreckage an indication that the two were on a drinking spree.
The duo’s bodies have been sent to Mt Darwin mortuary for safe keeping awaiting post-moterm.
Head on collision along Mutare-Harare highway, several people feared dead
A source told Bulawayo24.com number of the injured and the deceased is yet be established.
ZA: Transport dept to push for reclassification of road offences, as Easter death toll increases
2018-04-18 Christina Pitt
Transport Minister Blade Nzimande released the preliminary report of the 2018 Easter road campaign. Watch.
The Department of Transport has decided to go ahead with its bid to reclassify all traffic offences as Schedule 5 offences in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, following the reckless driving recorded over the Easter holidays.
If an offender is charged with a Schedule 5 offence, the minimum sentence is 15 years for a first-time offender. “The reclassification will ensure that our quest for a mandatory minimum sentence for drunken driving, inconsiderate, reckless and negligent driving is realised,” said Transport Minister Blade Nzimande.
The minister was speaking at a media briefing in Parliament, where he announced that 510 road deaths had been recorded during the Easter period.
The figure represented a 14% increase from the 449 who died during the same period last year. The fatalities were recorded between March 29 and April 9.
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) CEO Makhosini Msibi said that the proposed re-classification would not happen immediately, as the decision still needed to undergo the required parliamentary processes. “It is going to take some time – it might not even happen this year,” said Msibi.
Failed to reduce fatalities: Nzimande expressed his disappointment at failing to meet the department’s target of a 10% reduction in fatalities. “Ladies and gentlemen, a huge effort was made prior to, and during, the holiday period to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries to achieve a 10% reduction,” Nzimande said.
Road safety education and communication activities had been implemented by provincial departments, local municipalities and transport entities. “Highly visible law enforcement operations were also conducted on all major routes, with a focus on drunken driving. Law enforcement agencies conducted operations, targeting areas and events where most alcohol is consumed,” he said.
KwaZulu-Natal had the highest number of fatalities (111). However, the Northern Cape (with 27 deaths), the North West (34) and Limpopo (80), recorded the highest increases in fatalities.
The department also noted that road accidents affected the poor and working class disproportionately more than other groups. “This Easter, there was a noticeable shift towards the rural poor who use the roads as pedestrians,” Nzimande announced.
‘Male drivers account for 71.1% of fatalities’ He said the number of pedestrians who were killed on our roads over the holidays increased from 33.8% in 2017, to 37.3% this year. There was also an increase in the number of drivers who died over the same period in 2018, from 20.5% in 2017, to 25.6%.
Nzimande said passengers were the only user group where there was a decline in the number of deaths over this period, from 43% in 2017, to 35.5% in 2018. “The preliminary report shows that the main contributory factors to road fatalities are related to human behaviour, with male drivers accounting for 71.1% of fatalities and females for 24.1%,” he said.
This was demonstrated by the successful arrests of 6 435 drivers who were caught speeding, 3 208 drivers driving unlicensed vehicles, 300 drivers without driver’s licences, and 1 698 who were driving vehicles with worn tires. (No alcohol? – Ed).
Despite the troubling statistics, Nzimande said that he had not lost hope. “We will relentlessly continue our efforts to save lives, because Nelson Mandela taught us: ‘The glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall’.”
Nine people injured in a three-car pile-up on Kenyon Howden Road near the Caltex garage in Montclair south of Durban
18 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
Nine people including children have been injured in a three-car pile-up on Kenyon Howden Road near the Caltex garage in Montclair south of Durban just after 7 am.
Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the vehicles had collided in a rear end format. A total of nine people from the three vehicles including children had sustained various injuries. More ambulances were dispatched to assist with the multiple casualty scenes. Once all the injured had been stabilized on the scene they were transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.
At this stage, the events leading up to the collision is unknown however SAPS were on the scene and will be investigating further.
81 die in Lagos road accidents in 10 months
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said 81 persons lost their lives in 827 road accidents recorded in the state from May 2017 to March 2018. Ladi Lawanson, Commissioner for Transportation, gave the figures at the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the three years in office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, at Alausa, Lagos.
Mr Lawanson said that 1,175 persons received various degrees of injuries in the crashes during the period under review. “As always, human error and indiscipline have been identified as most frequent reason for road accidents.“The State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) recorded 827 road traffic crashes involving about 3, 898 vehicles leading to 1,256 casualties.
”Out of the 1, 256 casualties recorded during period under review, 81 persons lost their lives (54 male adults, 21 female adults, one male child and five female children), while 1,175 persons comprising of 686 male adults, 416 female adults, 44 male children and 29 female children received various degrees of injuries,” he said.
Mr Lawanson said that further analysis showed that 61 of the crashes were fatal, and the vehicle ownership revealed that 1, 864 were private vehicles, 2,024 commercial vehicles and 11 were government vehicles. He said that human, mechanical and environmental factors accounted for the crashes.
The commissioner said that the agency also impounded 7, 419 vehicles for different violations of the state traffic laws.
He said that the state government recognised that the ongoing traffic improvement intervention activities had been contributing to the traffic gridlock and impediments to free flow of traffic in some areas of the state.
Mr Lawanson, however, appealed to residents to be patient with the government, saying that the pains of today will become the gains of commuters and other road users who will reap the benefits of modern transportation synergy.
Police officer, daughter die in car crash at Suhum
The mangled cars
Sergeant Daniel Abotsi, a police officer with the Konongo Police Division in the Ashanti Region, has died in a car accident at Suhum Amanease in the Eastern Region.
The police officer, who was driving his Opel Astra was in the company of his daughter.
On reaching Amanase at Suhum on the main Accra-Kumasi Highway, he veered off his lane into the opposite direction and collided head-on with a Metro Mass Transit bus.
According to the police, Sergeant Daniel Abotsi, together with his daughter, died on the spot after the collision.
ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, who confirmed the incident to Citi News stated that the bodies of the sergeant and his daughter have been deposited at the Suhum Government Hospital for autopsy, while the driver of the Metro Mass bus has been detained to assist police with their investigations.
“On April 16th at about 6:30, Sergeant Daniel Abotsi of Konongo police division was in charge of his Opel Astra driving from Accra towards Kumasi with his daughter who is yet to be identified. On reaching a section of the road at Amanase near Suhum, he veered off his lane and collided head-on with a Metro Mass Transit bus with registration number GR- 4732-Z driven by Seidu Clifford, who was also from Koforidua to Accra with passengers on board.”
“The police officer with his daughter died on the spot. The two accident vehicles have been moved from the road paving way for the free flow of traffic with arrangements being made to tow the vehicles to the police station to assist investigations.”
ASP Ebenezer Tetteh added that, “suspect driver Seidu Clifford has been detained to assist police carry out further investigations. I will use this platform to caution drivers and other road users to exercise restraint and adhere to all road regulations”.
10 feared dead in gory accident at Buipe
17th April 2018
Barely 48-hours after nearly twenty people died in separate accidents in the Northern Region over the weekend, ten more people are feared dead in another accident at Kablipe in the Central Gonja district of the region.
The accident, which occurred today [Monday], involved a Kia truck and a VVIP bus.
336 killed in over 2,000 accidents in just two months
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), revealed that 336 people lost their lives in road accidents in the first two months of 2018.
The Commission also stated that a total of 2,095 road crashes were recorded in January and February alone, representing a significant rise from the same period in 2017.
Late news.
FOUR PEOPLE DIE ON THE SPOT IN A ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT
Four people died on the spot while six others sustained serious injuries in an accident which occurred yesterday, 11th April, 2018 at around 18:00 hours along Gwembe-Munyumbe road, 10km east of Gwembe District of Southern Province.
Involved was a motor vehicle Mitsubishi canter, registration number ALV 5191 driven
by Steven Chanda aged 32 of Freedom Compound, Monze District.
The deceased are two female adults and two female juveniles, all not yet identified.
The accident happened when the driver of the motor vehicle failed to negotiate a curve due to excessive speed and in the process fell into a ditch. The bodies of the deceased persons are lying in Gwembe District Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem. The driver has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
In Mpika District of Muchinga Province, a pedestrian female juvenile aged six years of Itambamo village, Chief Mpepo in Kanchibiya District died upon arrival at Micheal Chilufya Sata Hospital after she was hit by a motor vehicle in an accident which occurred on 10th April, 2018 at about 13:00 hours at Itambamu area along Mpika – Kasama road.
The body is lying in Michael Chilufya Sata Hospital Mortuary awaiting postmortem.
Ghana Carnage: 18 Perish In Double Car Crash In Northern Region
A multiple deadly car crash in parts of the Northern Region claimed 18 lives and many severely injured between Saturday night and Sunday dawn.
In the Savelugu Municipality, two people died with one body mutilated beyond recognition on Saturday.
And in the Central Gonja district, 16 people were also confirmed dead and more than dozen injured few hours in another fatal crash involving three commercial vehicles.
Police preliminary report said the accident in the Savelugu Municipality happened at Diare and Gushei, involving a tricycle carrying firewood and cargo truck loaded with lumber. The report disclosed that the tricycle driver lost control and crashed into the approaching truck after a rope used to tie the firewood torn apart.
The driver was rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital where he died but the other occupant lost his life on the spot. An autopsy report was conducted at the scene because the body was totally dismembered beyond recognition and police could not gather all the pieces.
A separate report by the police at the Central Gonja district also said the accident occurred on Sunday dawn at about 1.42am.
“Suspect driver name not yet known was in charge Neoplan bus with registration number GW 2659 T with 70 passengers on board traveling from Nalerigu to Ejura. On reaching a section of the road at Yapei-Yipala in a curve on the Tamale- Buipe Highway he attempted to overtake a cargo car ahead of him. In the process the vehicle crushed with an incoming bus with registration number GM 5383-12,” the Northern Regional Police spokesperson, ASP Mohammad Yussif Tanko sent the told journalists via a social media app, WhatsApp.
The report confirmed that 16 people including both drivers died on spot and the injured were rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Bakkie rear-ends truck leaving one dead on the N3 highway near the Cato Ridge turnoff in Cato Ridge
16 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
A man, believed to be in his 30s, was killed this evening when his bakkie rear-ended a vehicle-recovery trick on the N3 highway near the Cato Ridge turnoff in Cato Ridge, KwaZulu Natal.
ER24 paramedics were returning to their branch when they were flagged down by motorists.
On scene, paramedics found the truck and bakkie on the side of the road. The body of a man, believed to be in his 30s, was found lying trapped inside the wrecked bakkie.Paramedics assessed the entrapped man and found that he had already succumbed to his numerous, fatal injuries. Nothing could be done for him and he was declared dead.
The driver of the truck fortunately escaped injury.
Two killed in Mumias road crash
APRIL 15 2018 By SHABAN MAKOKHA
PHOTO | SHABAN MAKOKHA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Two people were killed in a road crash along the Mumias-Butere road on Friday night.
The crash happed at Camp Njirinya, near Ekero shopping centre in Mumias. It involved a car and a motorcycle. Mumias police boss Peter Kattam confirmed incident saying the tyre of the car burst and the driver lost control of the vehicle. “The driver veered off the road and rammed into the motorcycle which was carrying two passengers,” said Mr Kattam.
The two passengers on the motorcycle died on the spot, he said. He said the two victims who were passengers in the vehicle died on the spot. Witnesses said the driver of the car was speeding when the car’s tyre burst.
In another incident, two school buses, a car, a lorry and vehicle belonging to Governor Wycliffe Oparanya’s convoy were included in a crash in Ibokolo, Butere. The convoy was heading to Butere from Mumias when the crash happened.
Bike and car collide leaving one dead, two injured.
15 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
A man was killed and two others injured this afternoon following a collision between a light motor vehicle and motorbike on the R512 in Muldersdrift.ER24 paramedics, along with another service, arrived on the scene to find the vehicle and motorbike in the middle of the road. A man, believed to be 27-years-old, was found lying next to his motorbike while the passenger, a 26-year-old woman, was found lying approximately 50 metres away. Paramedics assessed the patients and found that the man had sustained numerous injuries and showed no signs of life. Nothing could be done for him and he was declared dead.
The woman was assessed and found to be in a critical condition, having sustained several serious injuries. Paramedics treated the woman and provided her with advanced life support interventions. She was later airlifted by the ER24 Oneplan helicopter to a nearby private hospital.
The driver of the vehicle was assessed and found to have sustained minor injuries. He was treated and transported by another service to a nearby hospital.
7 perish in road accidents
Seven people died while six others were injured in two separate road accidents that occurred in Chivhu and Murewa on Tuesday.
Mashonaland East police confirmed the two accidents yesterday.
According to police, the Chivhu accident involved a Harare-bound haulage truck, which collided with a Toyota Vitz car at the 130km peg near Hone Spruit River.
Three passengers in the Vitz died on the spot, while the other one died upon admission at Chivhu General Hospital.
Three other people were injured, while those from the haulage truck escaped unhurt.
In the Murewa accident, three people died on the spot when the driver of a vehicle they were travelling in failed to negotiate a curve, veered off the road before overturning several times at the 136km peg along Harare-Nyamapanda highway.
Police from Murewa attended the scene and rushed the injured to Mutoko District Hospital, while the deceased were taken to the mortuary for post mortem.
2 people were killed in head-on collision involving a SAPS vehicle and a VW
13 Apr 2018, Westernburg, Polokwane: The South African Police Service in Westernburg outside Polokwane are investigating a case of culpable homicide which occurred this morning at about 08h00 along the N1 South, few kilometres outside the city of Polokwane.
It is alleged that a police vehicle with two members inside, was traveling from south to north when it collided head-on with a VW Polo with four occupants inside. The three photos in gallery below were supplied by the SAPS.
During this collision, two occupants from the VW died instantly, the other occupants and the two police officers sustained serious injuries and they were all taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
The cause of this fatal crash is not clear at this stage but the police investigations will tell that as they are still unfolding.
The names of the deceased will be released as soon as their families are notified.
Three people robbed, truck set alight in Cape Town
13th April 2018 Iavan Pijoos
200 ‘under-age’ Uber drivers in Ghana sacked
13th April 2017
The widely patronised taxi service Uber has been operative in Ghana for the past 2 years
The Ghana subsidiary of the transportation network company, Uber is reported to have deactivated the accounts of 200 of its drivers who are below the age of 25.
The drivers were told their appointments had to be terminated because they did not meet the required 25-years age limit required for drivers to operate commercial vehicles.
One of the drivers, Timothy, who has been with the company for only two months told host of Super Morning Show, Daniel Dadzie they were sent termination notification via text message last month to inform them of the development. His account and that of the other drivers under the age of 25 years, were subsequently terminated on Monday, April 9, 2018.
“They told us that due to some commercial insurance problems they will be deactivating our accounts on the April 6. I came online, went offline and my account was deactivated,” the 23-year-old Timothy recounted.
The management of Uber, he disclosed, said an earlier difficulty to claim insurance for one of the drivers after an accident, triggered the decision.“They said the insurance company said they won’t pay because the driver was under age 25 and in the law to drive a commercial vehicle you needed to be age 25 and above.
“So because of that Uber has decided to deactivate the accounts of those under 25…even if you’re 24 they’ll deactivate your account. They will only reactivate it when you turn 25,” he said.
Timothy who left his driving job at Allied Oil to drive Uber, is unsure of what his next steps are although has written and sent applications to other companies hoping to get employed. He said he could not afford to stay idle for two years until he turns 25, when his account with Uber may be reactivated.
When asked why he did not accept the marketing job offered him by Uber, Timothy said he didn’t think the company needed to engage in any marketing activities because they are already known.
“How much am I going to earn from going around and telling people about Uber. Uber has been in Ghana for 2 years …everybody knows about Uber now, even old ladies know about Uber so what am I going to tell people? “Even they [the company] know that it wouldn’t work but they just brought it up to make us feel okay,” he said.
Cecil Graabrah has raised concern on the violations of driving laws in Ghana
But the Founder and Executive Director of Toptech Transport and Logistics is amazed that Uber went ahead to employ the underage drivers.
Cecil Graabrah said Uber should have known that persons under the age of 25 are by law, prohibited from operating certain commercial vehicles in the country. “It is wrong for Uber to go ahead and employ such drivers.”
He explained that although the right age to acquire a drivers license is 18 years, using the B license – meant for small car drivers – for commercial purposes is illegal. “If you calculate the years before you become a commercial driver, you must be at least 25 years of age and this is common law.
“So you cannot use the B license to drive a commercial vehicle, it is really wrong. That person is inexperienced and cannot match up the common knowledge in driving and Uber should have known this,” he added.
He lamented the lack of implementation of the law in the country adding that if these were done, individuals or businesses who come to operate in Ghana will abide by them. The laws must work in this country because if we have a law governing us and we are not using it, then where are we going to,” he queried. Mr Garbrah said most of the Uber drivers are inexperienced and lack the skills required to even operate at their level.
“The Uber drivers are not trained,… Most of them do not have the common knowledge of reading map. They have Google maps on their phones but when you ask them to come, they pass by and they cannot even communicate with you.”
Moving forward, however, Mr Garbrah a strong advocate for road safety said, the Uber drivers need proper training. For him, the country can only win the war against road accidents if drivers have the adequate skills and knowledge required to be on the road. “Uber should have known and done the right thing,” he stressed.
He also hopes that in the future, the law is revised and the age limit for commercial drivers is reduced, but experience cannot be taken for granted. Mr Grabrah said no learner driver should be allowed to operate a commercial vehicle, “it is wrong. We need to support the issue on training those people to upgrade their license at 25. It is law.
“They need the experience and the right license to operate commercial vehicles.”
For Mr Garbrah, experience cannot be taken for granted in these circumstances but advised the drivers to be patient and wait a while until they have attained the right age.
Ugandans, road traffic safety starts with you
By Christine. B Ayebazibwe
The sight of vehicles and motorcycles competing for space with pedestrians on road shoulders is not a new phenomenon on our roads just like speeding cars at zebra crossing points have often left pedestrians scampering for their dear lives.
Likewise, the routine of drivers of government and private cars using wrong traffic lanes, coupled with the misuse of sirens by those who have right of way like ambulances and VIP vehicles has become common place. This undoubtedly points to a looming crisis in our road traffic management if left unchecked.
The Uganda Police Road Safety Report of 2016 indicated that the number of people dying as a result of accidents in Uganda increased from 3,224 in 2015 to 3,503 in 2016.
The 2018 United Nations Road Safety Performance Review of Uganda also pointed out that in 2016, the Kampala City road network accounted for about 50 per cent of the total number of crashes and 22 per cent of all fatal crashes.
The two leading causes of road accidents annually are careless driving and reckless driving. In 2016, careless driving was responsible for 45 per cent of accidents and reckless driving 36 per cent in the records of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2017 statistical abstract). This means that the two are collectively responsible for 81 per cent of road accidents.
Accidents have crippled the country’s most productive human resource thus affected the country’s economic advancement. Statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics show that the highest number of individuals who die from accidents and those who are seriously injured annually are males aged between 25 and 34 years old.
In that regard, 854 males died and 2,874 were seriously injured in 2016 alone. Road accidents are a burden to the country’s inadequate resources and United Nations Road Safety Performance Review of Uganda (2018) estimates the overall annual cost of road crashes currently stands at Shs4.4 trillion.
The biggest part of this expenditure could, however, be avoided if motorists exercised caution on our roads. Accidents are also responsible for loss of jobs and increased unemployment, consequently affecting household incomes, which has a bearing on the country’s poverty status.
At a more personal level, individuals have become distraught and lived with regret especially knowing they could have avoided the accidents if they had been more careful, homes have broken down while others have had to live with indelible grief following the loss of loved ones.
Although it is plausible that the number of deaths and injuries have reduced from 19,962 in 2011 to 15,752 in 2016, there is still a lot of effort needed to meet the 2020 Sustainable Development Goals target of halving the number of deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
The persistent careless and reckless driving coupled with weak or non-implementation of traffic laws and policies, is one of the major impediments to road traffic safety in Uganda.
For instance, while the National Road Safety Policy was approved by Cabinet in 2014 to inter alia improve the regulation and management of boda-bodas, these are still highly unregulated yet the number of accidents attributable to them each year is on the rise.
While it is important for the country to strengthen implementation of her regulations, it is even more crucial that citizens comprehend their fundamental role as key stakeholders, and primary beneficiaries of road traffic safety.
We must all strive to make our roads safe at all times and this calls for discipline, which includes compliance to basic road safety measures like wearing seatbelts in cars and helmets on motorcycles. It is true accidents affect the country, but they devastate the individual and for that reason, road traffic safety must start with us!
Ms Ayebazibwe works at Uganda Debt Network.
At least 17 dead as Kenyan bus plunges into river
11th April 2018
Official statistics show that around 3,000 people die annually on Kenyan roads, but the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the figure could be four times higher.
Narok County Commissioner George Natembeya said more than 40 people were rushed to hospital for treatment.
According to authorities the driver lost control while trying to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle.
The accident happened while the bus was travelling from western Homa Bay county to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
Narok County Commissioner George Natembeya said more than 40 people were rushed to hospital for treatment.
He said the accident occurred after a person who was controlling traffic near the bridge the bus was travelling on sent a wrong signal.
Official statistics show that around 3,000 people die annually on Kenyan roads, but the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the figure could be four times higher.
$400 fine for killing pedestrian
A Beatrice farmer who was involved in an accident that killed one person has been fined $400 by a Chitungwiza court. David Rickards was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mrs Yeukai Chigodora last week charged with culpable homicide. If Rickards fails to pay the fine, he risks spending three months in prison.
Prosecutor Mr Norman Koropi proved that on May 29 last year, at around 4:35pm, Rickards was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser along the Harare-Masvingo Road.
When he approached the 22-kilometre peg, a pedestrian, Elizabeth Jackson, jumped into the road and upon noticing Rickards’ approaching vehicle, she hesitated and froze before trying to retrace her footsteps.
Rickards swerved to the left side of the road in a bid to avoid her, but he could not avoid her in time. He resultantly hit her with the corner of the vehicle’s front bumper. Jackson fell on the tarmac and sustained serious injuries. She was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital, where she died two days later.
According to the State, the accident took place on a piece of the road that is in a good state of repair. Post-mortem results and Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) reports that were produced in court showed that in addition to speeding, Rickards failed to sound the horn, or to stop when an accident seemed imminent.
The State proved that Rickards failed to exercise extreme caution.
Three Injured After Vehicle Overturns in Mount Edgecombe
Three people were injured after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned multiple times in Mount Edgecombe – KZN today.
Members of Reaction Unit South Africa were called out to the scene by a passing motorist reporting the accident. Upon arrival a Chevrolet light motor vehicle was found lying on its roof against a tree at the base of an embankment.
It is alleged that the vehicle was travelling north on the R102 when an unknow vehicle suddenly cut in front of it. In an attempt to avoid a collision the driver swerved however lost control causing his vehicle to overturn multiple times and crash down an embankment.
Three occupants of the vehicle were injured and had to be transported to hospital for medical attention.
Road accidents: 7 killed, 18 injured in 48 hours
ALGIERS- Seven people lost their lives and 18 others were injured in 9 road accidents nationwide over the past 48 hours, said Saturday the Civil Protection in a communiqué.
Tanzania: Road Accidents Must Be Curbed What-Come-May
PRESIDENT John Magufuli has added his voice to the growing public outcry in connection with the seemingly uncontrollable road accident menace.
The president wants the Police Force to investigate and establish the root cause of the now recurrent road accidents. The president has, however, pointed an accusing finger at reckless drivers.
It is on record that in the past most accidents were determined to have been caused by devil-may-care drivers who flouted road safety rules and regulations, often driving at break-neck speed. The latest accident, in which 12 passengers died and 26 others got injured, occurred last Wednesday in Igunga district of Tabora region.
It is this accident, along with many others that occurred in the past, which have prompted the president to call for incisive action.
The National Assembly was told a few months ago that the government is in the final stages of collating new traffic rules and regulations. The reviewed Road Traffic Code takes in a number of stiff penalties that are tailored to whip drivers into seeing sense. This will help curb road accidents, perhaps.The improved traffic rules and regulations, the lawmakers were told, will conform with international standards that have been put forward by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Road Safety experts.
The improved law will repeal the outdated Road Traffic Act of 1973. So, it is the spate of accidents that has prompted the state to consider reviewing the Road Traffic Act in a quest to make it stricter with heavier penalties on road users who flout traffic rules. Certainly, it is the much heavier penalties that will get unruly drivers to toe the line. Road carnage is a challenging scenario. National leaders, including the president, have umpteen times exhorted drivers to exercise optimum caution when handling motor vehicles.
The leaders have often spoken bitterly about the chain of grim accidents, most of which have stemmed from the recklessness of drivers who handle motor vehicles without much regard to safety. It is, consequently, imperative to point out here that some drivers, especially those who have never had driving lessons, do not respect the Highway Code. The Highway Code is the set of rules and pieces of advice on how to use roads. These rules are based on road traffic law and good driving practice. Unfortunately, too many drivers do not even know what is entailed in the code. So, some drive at frightening speeds, even when travelling on the worst roads.
Many of them hardly know what the roadside traffic signs require. And there are those who can hardly read or write. Some drive under the influence of alcohol. Others behave like maniacs when handling motor vehicles.
In yesteryears the Dar es Salaam Road Safety Board offered free education on traffic rules for drivers and motorcycle riders in a quest to curb accidents. It came to light that most drivers did not even bother to acquire driving licences. A similar situation prevails today. It is a pity to state here that road accidents are now a canker that appears to defy State intervention.
Nonetheless, the rot must be stemmed.
Guruve Chief Chisunga dies in tragic car accident
Guruve Chief Chisunga dies in tragic car accident
Chief Chisunga (47) of Guruve in Mashonaland Central died in a car accident on Thursday night when he failed to negotiate a curve at the 30-kilometre peg along Guruve-Mahuwe Road. The vehicle fell into a 100-metre gorge as a result.
Mashonaland Central provincial administrator Mr Cosmas Chiringa confirmed the accident, adding that the chief’s body was taken to Mvurwi Hospital mortuary.
“The accident occurred at Bakasa area at the top of Mavuradonha Mountain,” said Mr Chiringa. “Chief Chisunga, who was driving, failed to negotiate a sharp curve and was thrown out of the vehicle. The vehicle fell into a 100-metre gorge.”
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.
Westonaria: 1 dead and 2 seriously injured on Randfontein crash
08 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
At approximately 19H35 Netcare 911 responded to reports of a serious collision on the R28 Randfontein road in Westonaria, Gauteng.
Reports from the scene alleged that a car had broken down and was being pushed off the road, another vehicle then drove into the back of the broken down vehicle injuring a number of the occupants.
Due to the nature of the injuries, Advanced Life Support intervention was required.
Tragically an adult male was declared deceased on the scene, another person was left in a critical condition and two other people were assessed by paramedics but declined ambulance transports to hospital.
Durban motorist found guilty of killing 2 cyclists
7th April 2018 Tania Broughton
The car which had smashed into the cyclists. (Photos supplied by Garrith Jamieson, Rescuecare) d
Motorist Omesh Ramnarain has been found guilty of culpable homicide for the deaths of two cyclists who he crashed into – throwing their bodies and bikes into the air – on the M4 leading out of Durban in February 2016.
Pending sentence next month, Durban Regional Court Magistrate Anand Maharaj extended Ramnarain’s bail of R10 000, on condition that he hand over his driver’s licence, which he did shortly after judgment was handed down on Friday.
Ramnarain had left a nightclub at about 05:00 and, according to witnesses, was travelling at high speed when he crashed into Jarred Dwyer and Richard da Silva, who were at the back of a group of cyclists on a recreational ride. The State alleges that he had been drunk at the time. He claims he had only had four Hunters Golds and was not under the influence of alcohol.
While several witnesses testified that they had smelled alcohol on his breath, a blood sample was taken more than two hours after the legal time limit, and Maharaj acquitted him on the charge of driving under the influence.
Ramnarain’s version was that he had been driving at 100km/h, behind another vehicle which blocked his view, when it suddenly swerved on to an off-ramp. Moments later, he heard a thud, his windscreen shattered, and then another thud. He said he had not seen the cyclists at all.
It was suggested that a rock, found on the passenger side of his vehicle, may have been thrown at his car, causing the accident. But this was rejected by Maharaj. “It is highly improbable that the moment the other car took the glide-off, a rock was thrown at you. You did not report this to anyone at the scene, nor to the police,” he said. “It is even more improbable, given the distance from the impact to the overhead bridge.”
‘His version cannot be true’ In spite of suggestions, during cross-examination of the State’s witnesses by defence advocate Murray Pitman, that the cyclists had been travelling in the slow lane, the magistrate ruled that the collision had taken place in the emergency lane. “His version cannot be true. I find that he was negligent, acted unlawfully and did not keep a proper look-out,” he said.
With regards to the removal of the driver’s licence as a condition of the extension of bail, Pitman consented, but said “the issue can be dealt with properly” during sentencing proceedings.
Ramnarain spent about 10 minutes in the cells below court while his family located the licence. Pre-sentencing reports will be handed in when the matter is next before the court on May 25.
Prosecutor Herman Mouton is expected to ask that Ramnarain be imprisoned, while the defence will argue for a non-custodial sentence based on the fact that he was not found to have been drunk at the time of the accident.
Relatives of Dwyer and Da Silva, who have been at court on every occasion, declined to comment yesterday. They asked for privacy and said they would speak after sentencing.
Two die, three injured in Lagos-Sagamu expressway accident
7th April 2018
Road traffic accident on Lagos – Sagamu expressway has left two persons dead and three others injured on Thursday morning.
The accident which involved a Golf car marked FKJ 764 XB, a mini truck with registration number ABG 352 ZD and unmarked bus carrying musical equipment, occurred when the bus ran into the mini truck in bid to avoid colliding with the golf car. The driver of the bus and a passenger died at the accident scene.
It was learnt that the driver of the golf car created the commotion leading to accident when he drove into the expressway from the adjoining road without looking out for on – coming vehicles.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident, attributed the cause to careless driving.
“We learnt the Benz mini-bus was coming from Ijebu-Ode this morning loaded with Musical instruments, when in an attempt to avoid hitting a Golf car which suddenly entered the expressway, ran into a mini-truck carrying diesel with two occupants inside.
“Out of the three passengers in the bus, two died on the spot, including the driver, while the third passenger was injured along with two other persons in the truck carrying diesel,” Akinbiyi said.
According to him, the injured were taken to Idera hospital, Ajaka, in Sagamu and remains of the dead kept at the Fakoya hospital also in Sagamu.
Ghana: Three soldiers die in crash
7th April 2018
Three members of the Supreme Canons Band of the 66 Artillery Regiment, Volta Barracks in Ho, did not survive when the Styre Troops Carrier Military truck with registration number 72- GA- 70 on which they were travelling veered off the road and fell into a ditch.The accident, which occurred close to Spring Fields University campus, near Adaklu Township on the Ho-Kpetoe road, involved 15 members of the Band who were travelling to Akatsi Abor for an Easter programme.
Confirming the incident to DAILY GUIDE, the Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Victor Oduro Abrokwa, said all occupants of the truck, including the driver, sustained various degrees of injury and were rushed to the Volta Regional Hospital where three of them died on arrival.
He said seven others who were in critical condition were airlifted to the 37 Military Hospital for further treatment a day after the incident, “whiles the remaining five, including the driver, were treated and discharged at the Volta Regional Hospital.”
Chief Superintendent Victor Oduro Abrokwa said arrangements were being made to convey the bodies of the deceased to the 37 Military Hospital for preservation and post-mortem. He added that the police would revisit the scene with the driver when he fully recovers to assist in investigation.
Meanwhile, the accident truck has been towed to the military barracks for safe keeping.
According to some media reports, the Commander of the Regiment, Major Edward Sarpong Appiah, addressed a durbar on Monday at the barracks and briefed personnel about the accident.
3 die, as billboard falls on commercial bus in Lagos
April 6th 2018 By Olasunkanmi Akoni LAGOS
three persons, yesterday, died when a billboard fell on a commercial bus at Ilasamaja Bus Stop, along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos. It was gathered that seven other people, who sustained various degrees of injuries, were rescued from the scene.
The General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, who confirmed the incident, said those injured were quickly rushed to a hospital. 
Sympathisers and passers-by, who raced to the scene of the crash, burst into tears at the sight of lifeless bodies lying on the road.
Scene of the accident
According to Tiamiyu, the agency received distress call at about 8.26a.m., of an accident by Ilasamaja Bus Stop inward Oshodi, Apapa/Oshodi Expressway. His words: “Preliminary investigation carried out by the LASEMA Response Team at the scene of the incident revealed that an empty truck, with number plates MEK 695 XA, hit an overhead signpost which subsequently fell on a commercial coaster bus coming from behind. 
“Unfortunately, seven victims, an adult female and three adult males, who sustained severe injuries were rescued and stabilised by the agency’s officials and Lagos State Ambulances Service, LASAMBUS, and subsequently transferred to Mushin General Hospital for further treatment.
20 dead as bus and truck collide in southern Egypt
6 APRIL 2018,
Luxor – A passenger bus and a truck collided on a road in southern Egypt, killing 20 people, local security sources said on Thursday.Two others were injured in the crash that took place late Wednesday on a desert road in the southern province of Suhag, they added.#
The dead included 19 people from the southern city of Luxor. They were inside the bus heading from Cairo to their home town when the incident occurred, the sources added.Initial investigations found that the bus driver lost control after a rear tyre burst out, forcing the vehicle to ram into a truck coming from the opposite side of the road.#
Fatal road crashes are relatively common in Egypt. They are often blamed on reckless driving and poor road conditions.More than 14,000 traffic accidents took place in Egypt in 2016, resulting in 5,343 deaths, according to official figures.The Egyptian government says it is working on a new traffic law with tougher penalties and improvements in the nation’s road quality.
12 Dead And 46 Injured In Tanzania Bus Crash
Twelve people were killed and 46 injured in a crash between a bus and a truck in northern Tanzania, traffic police said.
The accident happened late on Wednesday evening in Makomero in Tabora province.
“A total of 12 people were killed, 10 at the scene and two while being evacuated to hospital,” traffic police said, adding that 46 people were injured.
The truck, which was transporting potatoes, is believed to have crashed into the bus.
Car and truck collide leaving one dead 20km outside of Ermelo in Mpumalanga
05 April 2018 | From Arrive Alive
One person was killed late last night following a head-on collision between a truck and light motor vehicle on the R39, approximately 20km outside of Ermelo in Mpumalanga.
ER24 paramedics, along with the Fire Services, arrived on the scene to find a light motor vehicle on the side of the road. The vehicle had burst into flame and was well alight.
Fire services had to extinguish the flames before paramedics could excess the vehicle.
Once the flames had been extinguished, paramedics found the body of the driver lying trapped inside the vehicle. Unfortunately, nothing could be done by paramedics and the person was declared dead
7 die in accident
According to witnesses, the Mazda MPV, carrying nine passengers, including the driver, was hit by a trailer that came-off a Masvingo-bound bus near Rutenga business centre.
None of the passengers and crew in the bus was injured.
Masvingo Acting Provincial Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said police were attending the scene.
Easter road death toll ‘heartbreaking’
The Easter road death toll has been described by traffic safety pressure groups as “heartbreaking” after a horror weekend that claimed at least 42 lives. Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said 42 fatalities were recorded from 338 accidents.
This was a sharp spike from 22 people who lost their lives from 217 accidents last year. In 2016, 10 were killed in road accidents.
The crashes are not just a number, they are real people losing family members.
And families never get over this sort of thing Nyathi said the major causes of the accidents have been observed to be speeding, inattention, misjudgment, overtaking errors and failure to observe road rules and regulations.
The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) said human error was the major cause of road accidents.
This year, TSCZ deployed 19 road traffic safety campaign teams along all the country’s major roads and highways as part of efforts to curb road carnage during the Easter holiday.
“We must stop the blame game and own up to our mistakes as drivers, passengers, pedestrians, riders, companies, families, churches and schools,” TSCZ spokesperson Tatenda Chinoda told the Daily News yesterday.
“Human error is costing us limbs and lives. These errors can be corrected if we humanise our driving, which currently is largely psychomotor.
“It must be cognitive and affective thereby inculcating a holistic road safety culture.”
He said there appears to be blatant disregard of road rules and regulations. He said most of the Easter fatalities were due to speeding.
“Every driver must train in defensive driving because most of the crashes involved private vehicles who by law are not compelled to do the course.
“Now for their own safety, such drivers must train in defensive driving. The worst case scenario is when some of us decide to drive without being licensed using celebrity status, nature of one’s job or sheer disregard of the law.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility; we must all act lest we perish. Road safety education is a repent or perish gospel,” Chinoda said
Greater Harare Commuter Operators Association (Ghaco) secretary-general Ngoni Katsvairo said dilapidated roads were also a cause for concern.
“Despite the state of our roads especially Masvingo road, the major causes of road carnage is human error.
“Whether roads are bad or good, our drivers need to drive cautiously and avoid human error such as speeding, overloading, overtaking on blind corners and other parts of the roads where it is not allowed to overtake as well as just following all other road rules and regulations.
“In these rainy conditions, our roads are prone to pot holes, thus extreme caution and less speeding is always advised.
“Operators and drivers must also always make sure their vehicles are roadworthy, with enough tyre grip, sound suspension and braking systems,” Kastvairo said.
Tafadzwa Goliati of the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (Paz) said the death toll could have been lessened if Zimbabwe had a pre-emergency protocol designed for deployment on the onset of a sudden emergency challenge.
He said the unavailability of passenger insurance on many passenger vehicles was a hindrance to those injured in road accidents.
“Hundreds in most of Zimbabwe’s government hospitals are dying or ending up disabled due to late or delayed access to emergency medical aid or in most cases victims virtually die due to the fact that they are denied emergency medical aid at a critical stage in their lives when they most need it.”
The Zimbabwe Republic Police deployed police officers who carried out awareness campaigns and enforced road rules and regulations. Police also impounded defective vehicles.
A recent government survey indicated that Zimbabwe’s roads had outlived their recommended life-span by at least three decades.
Roads are designed to go for 20 years, after which it is recommended that they should be completely overhauled and reconstructed.
However, Zimbabwe has not been able to refurbish its roads and still uses those inherited from the colonial era, except for the Mutare-Plumtree highway which was refurbished in 2013.
Most of the country’s roads are now characterised by huge potholes and sharp edges which rip tyres apart and cause accidents. DailyNews
Egypt’s health ministry says 7 killed in road accident
4th April 2018
CAIRO — Egypt’s Health Ministry says a car crash has left seven people dead and 11 others injured on a desert road connecting the capital Cairo and the city of Suez.Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed says the accident took place Tuesday when a bus crashed into a truck.
He says the injured were taken to a nearby hospital and the injuries include fractures, bruises and abrasions.
Road accidents are common in Egypt, often the result of badly maintained roads and poor enforcement of traffic laws. The World Health Organization says such accidents kill around 12,000 people in Egypt annually.
The country’s official statistics agency says more than 11,000 road accidents took place in 2017.
Easter death toll doubles
POLICE have described this year’s Easter holidays as the bloodiest, with 42 people killed in separate road accidents, almost a 100 % rise in fatalities from the 22 recorded last year.
Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said 10 people were killed yesterday bringing the total to 42 up from 32 recorded on April 1.
The deaths have almost doubled compared to the 2017 statistics, which saw 22 people being killed in road carnage.
Police said, this year, 246 people were injured in 338 recorded accidents during the Easter holiday.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police continues to urge motorists to services their cars before embarking on long journeys. Drivers should always avoid speeding and overtaking in front of oncoming vehicles, as we continue to lose precious lives in the roads,” Nyathi said in a statement.
Out of the 338 road accidents 25 were fatal, compared to last year were 217 road accidents took place and 13 were fatal.
In one of the accidents that took place a Honda Fit on the Harare-Masvingo Road overtook in front of an oncoming Toyata Wish carrying nine passengers.
Three people died on the spot and the injured passengers were taken to Chivhu General Hospital.
Three children among six dead in horror Eastern Cape crash
4th April 2018
Six people, including three children, have been killed and two other people left injured in an accident on the N2 between Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape police said on Monday.”The vehicle, a silver sedan with a trailer, appears to have lost control on a sharp turn,” said Captain Mali Govender.Three children, and three men were killed. Two women, one in critical condition, were taken to hospital.
Govender said a case of culpable homicide had been opened.
“The cause of the accident is not known and will form part of the investigation. Specialists experts are still at the disaster scene.”
Grahamstown Cluster Commander Brigadier David Kanuka extended condolences to the family and pledged support to them following the horror crash.
Easter weekend accidents claim 7 lives on Western Cape roads
2nd April 2018 Derrick Spies, Correspondent
At least seven people have been killed on the Western Cape roads since the beginning of the Easter weekend.
Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa said seven fatalities had been recorded since Friday morning.
Africa said the first incident recorded was of a passenger in a quantum minibus. He said the minibus had lost its front wheel while travelling on the N1 near Laingsburg.
Africa said the driver had managed to stop the vehicle, and the passenger had climbed out to go look for the lost wheel. He said the man was knocked over and killed while crossing the freeway.
There had been two hit-and-run incidents, with a male motorcyclist killed on the R304, Botlaray road, near Joostenbergvlakte and a male pedestrian run over at the corner of Landowne and Lesako roads.
Africa said in a separate incident a woman and toddler were killed on the N2 near Houwhoek Pass, when the driver of a Toyota Avanza lost control of the vehicle, crashed through a side barrier and went down the mountain. He said the two other occupants of the vehicle had been seriously injured and had to be freed from the wreckage.
Africa said another fatal crash had been recorded at 20:30 on Friday in the Outiniqua Pass, outside George. “The driver of a bakkie lost control over the vehicle and overturned, and a 60-year-old female passenger died in the crash,” he said.
In the latest incident on Saturday afternoon, Africa said a man had been knocked over by a SUV on the R304 Klipheuwel/Malmesbury road just outside Malmesbury.
Bedoui chairs biometric driving licence launch ceremony
ALGIERS-Minister of Interior, Local Authorities and National Planning Noureddine Bedoui on Sunday chaired the launch ceremony of the biometric electronic driving licence.
SEE WHAT ROAD SAFETY OFFICIALS DID WITH N2MILLION RECOVERED AT ACCIDENT SCENE
2nd April 2018
The victim (left)
The Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun State while on routine patrol during the ongoing Easter Special Patrol Operations at KM 27 Lagos – Ibadan expressway around Alapako at about 1015 hrs on Saturday 31 March, 2018 rescued a crash which involved..
11 people comprising 3 male adult, 6 female adult and 2 female children..
There were no deaths but 9 of the passengers comprising 3 Male adult and 6 Female adult sustained various degrees of injuries.
The suspected cause of the crash was tyre burst by the speeding bus which lost control. The injured victims were taken to Ifeoluwa hospital Ogunmakin for medical treatment and the road obstruction cleared.
12 killed in holiday accidents
TWELVE people have died, while 105 have been injured in separate road traffic accidents recorded countrywide since the beginning of the Easter holidays. The figure is double last year’s six recorded during the same time.
In a statement, police national spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said there has been a significant increase in the number of road traffic accidents compared to last year.
Police said the total number of accidents has shot up to 182 this year compared to 106 at the same time last year.
“Six fatalities were recorded in 2017, and this year accident fatalities have risen by 100 percent. The total number of road traffic accidents that occurred this year during the Easter Holidays currently stands at 182. The total number of people killed in 2018 stands at 12 and the total number of people injured is 105. These statistics show a sharp increase on the number of road traffic accidents” she said.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said there was a decrease in the number of impounded vehicles, compared to 2017, where 61 vehicles were impounded countrywide.
“ZRP is still in the process of ascertaining the factors that might have caused such a huge increase in the number of road traffic accidents during the Easter Holidays,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
Motorbike rider killed in collision in Moreleta park, east of Pretoria
1st April 2018 From Arrive Alive.jpg)
Head-on collision between bus and truck that left one dead
By Wambui Mbuthia | 1st April 2018
A head-on collision between a Mash East Africa passenger bus and a truck transporting cement at Pangani junction early on Saturday, March 31 caused a snarl up for a better part of the morning. Both vehicles suffered extreme damage from the 7 am crash.
The driver of the bus had his legs trapped in the cabin’s wreckage but was eventually pulled off by witnesses. There were no passengers on the bus but the truck driver succumbed to injuries.
Bystanders reported that the driver of the bus was overtaking leading to the accident.
There were no passengers on the bus at the time of the accident 
The accident occurred early on Saturday morning
The driver of the truck succumbed to injuries
The morning crash caused a traffic snarl up
Road carnage in KZN a major blow – Kaunda
1st April 2018 Lizeka Tandwa
2 die in ghastly motor accident on Kwahu road
Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com
The damaged motorbike after the fatal accident
Two men believed to be in their mid-thirties have been killed in a motor accident at Akyem Sekyere on the Kwahu-Nkwakaw road.
According to a live report on KOFI TV, friends of the deceased who identified them as Eli and Techie said they both are chainsaw operators who were on their way home from an unidentified location. The unfortunate incident involved a Yutong bus which was heading towards Accra, the motor the deceased was riding and a Toyota Corolla heading towards Kwahu.
The KOFI TV report indicates that the Toyota Corolla was allegedly overtaking the deceased motorists when the accident occurred. The state of the motorcycle involved in the accident revealed the impact of the collision as it had been wrecked into pieces.
As at the time of the report, the police were on the scene gathering data for preliminary investigation. Their bodies have been conveyed into a police vehicle to be deposited at the mortuary.
TCSZ launches “back from schools” campaign
Mar 31st 2018 
The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TCSZ) has launched a campaign dubbed “back from schools” that targets school children to remind them of traffic regulations.
The campaign is being held with the aim of reducing road traffic accidents during the Easter holidays.
TCSZ regional manager responsible for the western region Mrs Barbara Mpofu speaks. “We have got two teams. The teams have started in the city because this holiday coincided with the closing of the schools. We have a campaign that says back from schools. We want to target school children. Remember they have been away from home, they might have forgotten, they might have relaxed. We are reminding them on the proper usage of the roads.
“We are also targeting 16 years olds, the A levels – that it`s not good to drive without drivers licences. We are encouraging them to come in groups and then we can do the provisional drivers` licences for them and then the younger ones. We are also reminding them to be safe when they are using the road. They might have forgotten the rules of the road and then from there we`ve got the teams that are on the road where we are doing our road side campaigns.
The TCSZ is encouraging people to consider travelling during the day, to desist from boarding overloaded vehicles and to desist from boarding vehicles that are not road worthy.
SA-bound bus overturns, kills one
by Staff reporter 31st March 2018
One person died while 35 others were injured when a cross border bus overturned 8km out of Chinhoyi along the Chinhoyi – Chegutu road.
The South African bound Juldan Motors bus hit a commuter omnibus which was making a sudden u-turn, before it overturned. The bus crew members said the driver of the omnibus, who was alone, attempted to make a u-turn without checking for vehicles following behind.
The deceased is a crew member of the bus, and the injured include 33 Zambians, one Zimbabwean and one Malawian. They are all admitted at Chinhoyi Provincial hospital.
17 die in two separate bus accidents in Eastern Cape
NGCOBO – Seventeen people died on Wednesday in two separate bus crashes in Eastern Cape, just days before the Easter long weekend.
On Wednesday a Vaal Maseru bus, which was on its way from Welkom to various destinations in the Eastern Cape crashed in Ngcobo killing 13 people and seriously injuring 42 others.
The bus veered off the road,crashed into bushes and overturned less than than a km from the town of Ngcobo. Ten passengers and the bus driver were declared dead on the scene. When the bus wreckage was removed three more bodies were found underneath.
Three helicopters were used to evacuate the survivors. The injured were taken to various hospitals including the All Saints hospital at Ngcobo, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha and Frere Hospital in East London
Eastern Cape Health Department spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, said: “Seven people are critically injured, 18 are seriously injured and 17 are stable”.
Police have opened an inquest docket for a case of culpable homicide.
In another incident late on Wednesday a Translux bus crashed along the N6 road between Komani (Queenstown) and Jamestown. Four passengers died and many others were injured. It is not yet clear where the bus was heading and how the accident occurred.
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape expressed “deep sympathy” for the families who have lost their loved ones and called on government to investigate the cause of accident.
In a statement the ANC said: “We further wish to urge public transport operators to heed the appeal made to them by the Minister of Transport, to exercise extreme caution as we cannot continue putting the lives of innocent commuters at risk”.
Five persons killed in fuel tanker accident
30th March 2018
Kwara State map
According to authorities, the accident occurred as a result of brake failure of the tanker which rammed into a trailer loaded with new motorcycles, somersaulted and caught fire.
Five vehicles, nine motorcycles, motor spare parts and phone accessories were also burnt as the spilled petrol from the tanker spread the fire to shops, residential buildings and a mosque near the road.
The deputy speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Mathew Okedare, expressed sympathy to victims and called on the federal and state governments to assist those who lost properties to the incident. Mr. Okedare, whose constituency covers the area, described Jebba people as very enterprising. He appealed to the government to help the people get back to their various businesses and improve the community’s economy.
The lawmaker also praised the quick response of Jebba Paper Mills’ Fire Service Department which he said ensured the fire did not spread into the main town. One of the shop owners, Paul Mbonu, said he lost goods worth millions of naira to the inferno.
Accident kills 4
One person died on the spot while three others are feared dead when two haulage trucks collided at Mazowe Bridge along the Harare – Bindura highway.
The accident took place at around 5pm and claimed one life of a haulage driver and left two other drivers hospitalised.
According to eyewitnesses, the trucks rammed into each other after one of the trucks burst its front tyre, thereby losing control of the vehicle.
A Nissan truck travelling from Bindura was also caught up in the accident, injuring the driver, who has since been hospitalised.
The truck which was travelling towards Bindura carrying bulk fertilisers fell into the river, reportedly claiming the life of the driver.
There are also fears that three other people are trapped underneath.
At the scene of the accident, police details were controlling traffic while Firebrigade personnel from Harare were trying to verify the existence of human being under the heavily damaged truck.
The haulage truck heading towards Harare had two black granite stones which were thrown out of the vehicle, with one partially blocking the highway.
13 killed, scores injured in Satansnek bus crash
2018-03-29
Thirteen people, including three children, were killed in a bus crash on Satansnek, near Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday morning.Eastern Cape health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the bus was carrying 60 people when it overturned at a bridge between Ngcobo and Elliot.Mechanical extraction equipment had to be used to prise open sections of the bus to assist the passengers and three helicopters ferried survivors to hospital.
A tow truck would also help move the Vaal Maseru bus to look underneath for more casualties. The bus had been travelling from Welkom to Mthatha, via the mountain pass.
Mariaan Labuschagne, a spokesperson for Vaal Maseru, said so far she could only confirm that one of the company’s buses had been in a crash. She said their regional director was on his way to the accident scene but had not arrived yet to brief her further.
“As soon as he gets there, he will start helping the people and letting their families know,” said Labuschagne. Shortly before 15:00, 35 people had been taken to hospital, Kupelo said.
* This story has been updated to reflect a change in the death toll after two more had since died.
Road Safety: Control speeding to save lives
- BY ABDALLAH MSUYA
THE road ahead was clear and the highway was flanked by a few scattered settlements sandwiched by small thorny bushes. Emmanuel Lyimo sat behind the wheels of a 65-seater bus driving from Arusha to Dar es Salaam.
3 die, 10 injured in Ogun auto crash
MARCH 28, 2018 By Daud Olatunji ABEOKUTA—
Three passengers, a female and two males, lost their lives while 10 others sustained various degrees of injury in a multiple accident on Ijebu-Ode-Ore expressway yesterday.
Scene of the accident
Vanguard gathered that the accident occurred around 11am at the Odogbolu stretch of the expressway and involved a bus on the fleet of a popular transport company with number plates AYJ836XK and a Mercedes Benz (Mack) with number plates SKB 844AA.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the accident occurred as a result of an attempt by the bus which was sandwiched at the time between two trucks to overtake them, but, had a side collision with the truck on its left hand side, swerved and collided with the second truck.
The Sector Commander, Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Clement Ladle, who confirmed the accident attributed the cause to “wrongful overtaking, speeding and loss of control.” Ladle said 19 people were involved in the accident, adding that the dead had been taken to the morgue of the State Hospital Ijebu – Ode while the injured were taken to Ro’ona Hospital, also in Ijebu – Ode, for medical attention. “The dead were deposited at the Ijebu Ode General Hospital Mortuary, while the injured victims were taken to Ro’ona Hospital, Ijebu Ode for medical attention. “Also, the vehicles involved were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Odogbolu Division,” he said.
2 Killed in horror crash in Pinetown
28 March 2018 | From Arrive Alive
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Two people have been killed after a horrific accident on Shepstone Road near Chelsea Avenue in New Germany around 9pm on Tuesday evening.Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find carnage, a police vehicle and a car had collided before the police vehicle overturned coming to rest on its side. Two occupants from the vehicle a male and a female were found to be severely entrapped in the wreckage. They had sustained major injuries and when assessed by Paramedics it was found that they had passed away due to the severity of their injuries. The policeman and two other occupants from the vehicle had sustained moderate injuries and were stabilised on the scene by Advanced Life Support Paramedics before being transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that they required.Horrifying moment mother and her newborn baby returning home from hospital are swept to their deaths along with six other passengers when minibus tries to cross a raging river
28th March 2018
The bus, which was carrying 15 people at the time, was trying to cross a flooded bridge in central Thaba Tseka district when it was pushed into the river.
Video shot by another driver captures the moment the bus is swept away, and the desperate struggle of passengers as they try to make it to the shore.
Seven people, including the driver, managed to escape the vehicle and survived, but the other eight were killed.
Police spokesman Mpiti Mopeli told IOL News that rescuers began searching for survivors immediately, but heavy rains hampered their efforts.
Most of the bodies were discovered scattered downstream on Saturday, once the rains had eased.
Heavy rain and hail storms have brought chaos and dozens of deaths to Lesotho and parts of surrounding South Africa over the past week.
Another four workers were swept to their deaths in Lesotho after their lorry was caught in a flash flood amid a heavy rainstorm.
18 PASSENGERS ESCAPE DEATH AS 200 COWS CAUSE ACCIDENT ON OWO-BENIN EXPRESSWAY
At least eighteen passengers in a commercial bus escaped death by whiskers but were left with various degrees of injuries on Sunday after about 200 cows ran across Owo-Benin expressway in Ondo State.
Vanguard gathered that the commercial bus, marked KPA 77LG, was coming from Lagos State and heading to Owo in the state. An eyewitness said the crash occurred close to Uso town.
Narrating what happened, the eyewitness said: “despite efforts by the driver to avoid the cows, two of them hit the bus. “Immediately the accident happened, the herdsmen spoke to the other cows and they escaped into the bush.”
A dead cow was seen at the scene of the accident, while the wounded passengers were rushed to the hospital. One of the victims, Grace Ajayi, said: “We were just saved by grace from the hands of these wicked herdsmen. “It all happened with lightning speed. It was God who actually took control of the situation.”
It was gathered that some policemen rushed to the scene and cleared the expressway, while those injured were taken to the hospital.
Villagers lynch woman, 60, in family death saga
27th March 2018 By NICHOLAS KOMU
Shocked villagers at the home of a woman who was lynched by a mob and her house demolished on for allegedly causing the death of four family members in a road accident through witchcraft. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP eptable.
A 60-year-old woman was lynched by villagers in Kibingoti, Kirinyaga County over claims she bewitched four relatives who died in a road crash on Saturday. The woman, identified as Wakiini Musa was killed on Sunday by the locals, who claimed the fatal crash at Marua on the Nyeri–Karatina road was the work of her magic.
DISPUTE They claimed she had threatened the family with dire consequences for trying to evict her from a disputed piece of land. Hours later, the six relatives were involved in the accident that killed three of them on the spot. The fourth succumbed to injuries on Monday while receiving treatment.
Among those who died were two brothers, who were taking their mother to Nyeri County Referral Hospital. The mother also perished in the grisly 1pm accident, involving their vehicle and a truck ferrying soda. “She was heard telling them that they would start dying one after the other.
“The same day three members of the family died in an accident,” said Mr Joseph Maina, a resident.
MOB Villagers, armed with clubs, sticks and machetes, stormed the woman’s home at 2am and beat her to death. “What she said and later the accident killing three on the spot was not taken lightly. It is not easy to lose that many people at one time and it made the villagers very angry. That is why they did what they did,” said Danson Maina.
On Monday, police said they were pursuing those involved in the lynching terming it unacceptable. “No arrest has been made so far but we will get the culprits. Such actions are unlawful and will not be tolerated,” Kirinyaga West police chief Sicily Gatiti said.
She added: “We condole with the family for their loss but for locals to take such a drastic move to kill an innocent woman is barbaric and unjust. There is no way, even scientifically, to prove she used witchcraft to cause the accident,” she said.
23 killed as vehicle ploughs into Mozambique party: police
27th March 2018
The speeding vehicle ignored orders from traffic police, hit an obstacle and veered into the local carnival in the working-class Luis Cabral neighbourhood of Maputo in the early hours of Sunday morning. “The driver was speeding when he did not obey the signal from a traffic police officer,” Maputo police spokesman Orlando Mudumane told reporters in the capital. “A few metres (yards) later he lost control of the car, crashed into an obstacle and caused the accident.”
The male driver and his passenger were among the dead, with 30 others injured. “Five victims are still hospitalised in a critical condition,” said Farida Ursi, clinical director of Maputo central hospital.
The accident happened on a highway where the speed limit is 60 kilometres (37 miles) per hour.
Scores of young people were at an all-night party close to the roadside. “The car turned over and went towards people who were participating in the carnival,” Mudumane said, suggesting the driver may have been drunk.
“We requested an autopsy and as soon as we have results we will share them with the public,” he said. According to police statistics, an average of 30 people die each week in accidents on Mozambique’s roads.
President Filipe Nyusi offered his condolences.
“We condemn the disrespect for traffic rules by drivers and we express our sympathies to the victims of the accident and their families,” he said.
26 killed, nine injured in Tanzania car crash
MARCH 26 2018
At least 26 people were killed and nine injured after a passenger vehicle and a truck collided head-on in Tanzania on March 24, 2018. PHOTO | THE CITIZEN
In Summary
- A passenger vehicle and truck collided head-on in Mkuranga District.
- Fifteen of those killed have already been identified.
At least 26 people were killed and nine injured following a head-on collision in Tanzania.
The accident occurred on Saturday night at Kitonga Village, Mkuranga District, when a passenger vehicle and a truck collided.
ACCIDENT Eyewitnesses said most of the people who died were returning from Dar es Salaam’s Mbagala area to Mkuranga. “There were too many passengers in the Hiace…Most of those who died were either standing or sitting on the front seats of the vehicle,” said a resident of Kitonga, Mr Sudi Saleni, who arrived on the scene just after an accident.
The Regional Commissioner for Coast, Mr Evarist Ndikilo, arrived at Mkuranga District Hospital to console the families and directed police to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident.
The medical officer in-charge at Mkuranga, Mr Stephen Mwandambo, told relatives of the deceased – who had gathered at the hospital to identify the bodies – that they received 25 bodies.
Fifteen bodies have already been identified. “Ten accident victims were given first aid and referred to the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH),” Mr Mwandambo said, noting that one of the 10 died on the way to the MNH.
IDENTITIES The acting commander for the Kibiti Special Police Special Zone, Mr Mohamed Likwata, said most of the bodies were damaged due to the magnitude of the accident.
“We immediately rushed to the scene after reports had reached us. We found 24 people (11 women, seven men and six children) dead,” he said.
Police were able to immediately identify the body of the passenger vehicle’s driver and a Form One student from Saint Getrude Secondary School.
“From the identity cards, police were also able to know that those who died included a teacher employed by the Rufuji District Council and a Standard One pupil from Tungi Primary School in Kigamboni Dar es Salaam,” Mr Likwata said.
President John Magufuli sent a message of condolence to Coast Regional Commissioner, Mr Evarist Ndikilo, following the deaths. “I have been grief-stricken by the loss of 26 people who died in an accident at Mkuranga, Coast Region. “We have lost a huge number of fellow Tanzanians who were part of the country’s manpower,” said the statement issued by Director of Communication Unit, State House.
Taraba CAN chairman dies in auto-accident
MARCH 26, 2018
Rev. Ben Ubeh, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Taraba, died on Sunday in an auto accident on the Zing-Yola Road. The Vice Chairman of CAN in the state, John Aina, confirmed the incident in Jalingo.
Ubeh , who died in the early hours of Sunday, was on his way to Yola for an official engagement. Rev. Peter Gambo, who was travelling with the late chairman, told newsmen that the incident happened when they parked to buy some drugs in Zing town on their way to Yola.
CAN Gambo, who is the state Chairman of the NLC, explained that the deceased also stepped out of the vehicle at Zing. “We parked to buy drugs, the CAN Chairman too came out and stood at the back of our Toyota Hilux van when suddenly a truck came from behind and crushed him. “I am still in shock over the incident, but I have come to terms with the fact that God knows best,” he said.
Gambo said Gov. Darius Ishaku immediately sent a delegation to Zing which helped him to evacuate the corpse to Jalingo. The corpse had since been deposited in the morgue of the State Specialist Hospital, Jalingo. Ubeh, who was elected CAN Chairman in Taraba in 2016, is also the General Overseer of Army of God Glorious Ministries. Gambo added that burial arrangements would be announced later.
Meanwhile, an 18-seater bus narrowly escaped a fatal accident, which would have recorded massive deaths as Fulani herdsmen and their cattle unwarily ran across the Owo-Benin highway in Ondo State.
The accident involved the cattle and a white Toyota Hiace bus with plate number KPA 77LG coming from Lagos State to Owo, Ondo State, killing a cow on the spot and damaging the vehicle, which left some passengers injured.
Eyewitnesses, who sympathised with the victims at the scene on the outskirts of Uso town, lamented that it was a narrow escape as the herd, over 200 cows, suddenly ran across the oncoming vehicle.
An eyewitness narrated that the bus had gotten close to the herdsmen and the cattle when two of the cattle ran across the road and hit it, after several maneuvering to dodge them. “Immediately the accident happened, the herdsmen spoke a distinct language to the cows and they started to escape into the bush.”
The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene, met the dead cow lying by the roadside and the fatally wounded cattle as it managed to wobble after the herd, while the passengers were nursing their bruises.
A police contingent, Safer Highways, which was stationed along the route, arrived the scene to protect the passengers, while others pursued after the herdsmen and their cows, which were still seen from a far distance.
A victim, Mrs. Grace Ajayi, who had a fracture due to the impact of the accident, added that: “We were saved by God’s grace from the hands of these wicked herdsmen. It all happened with a lightening speed, we just heard gbam. It was God who took control of the situation and saved our lives from a fatal accident that would have claimed many lives.”
The driver, who was visibly dumbfounded and in shock, started counting his losses, as he was moving aimlessly around, shouting that he was just a stone-throw to his destination in Owo before the tragedy occurred.
Several attempts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Femi Joseph, were to no avail. He did not reply the text message also sent to him to confirm if there was any arrest.
One killed, another airifted to hospital in Wolwehoek crash
2018-03-25 Derrick Spies, Correspondent
One person was killed and two others sustained serious injuries after two vehicles collided on the R82 in Wolwehoek towards the direction of Koppies on Saturday.
Multiple hurt in taxi crash at the corner of Umgeni Road and Argyle Road in Durban
25 March 2018 | From Arrive Alive
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Approximately twenty people have sustained various injuries after three vehicles collided at the corner of Umgeni Road and Argyle Road in Durban City centreJust after 11am Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the three vehicles badly damaged in the junction. Multiple casualties were found and immediately more ambulances were dispatched to assist. Approximately twenty people had sustained various injuries and were stabilised on the scene before being transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.Road accidents: 33 killed, over 1,100 injured in one week
24th March 2018
ALGIERS- A total of 33 people lost their lives and 1,136 others were injured nationwide in 939 road accidents that occurred from 11 to 17 March, said Tuesday the Civil Protection in a communiqué.
One person was killed, seven injured in a single bakkie rollover on R28, Westonaria this morning
24 Mar 2018, Westonaria, Gauteng: One person was killed and seven others sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate after a bakkie rolled on the corner of Edwards Ave and the R28 in Westonaria this morning.
When ER24 Paramedics arrived on the scene shortly before 06H00, a man was found lying a few metres from the bakkie. Unfortunately, the man had sustained fatal injuries and was declared dead on the scene.
Upon further assessment, paramedics found seven patients who had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate. One of the patients later refused transportation to hospital.
ER24, as well as Provincial EMS, transported the patients to hospital for further medical care.
Weather Alert For South Africa
on: 
According to Weather SA, heavy rainfall is expected over the northern parts and the Midlands of KZN today leading to localised flooding. Heavy rainfalls may continue over the weekend in the province. We encourage road users to exercise extreme caution by slowing down, increasing their following distance and keeping your vehicle’s head-lights on.
Seven passengers, driver killed as NSCDC operatives shoot commercial bus
Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu
No fewer than seven persons were reportedly burnt to death on Thursday after officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps opened fire on a commercial bus on Milikin Hill Road, Enugu.
It was learnt that the bus had barely left Enugu New Market, located a few kilometres from Milikin Hill, when armed civil defence officials asked the driver to stop. The Enugu headquarters of the NSCDC is near New Market.
The driver reportedly refused to stop and sped away as the NSCDC men chased the bus in a Hilux van. It was gathered that some other agents of the security agency boarded a tricycle to join in the chase along Milikin Hill Road, which is bordered on both sides by a deep valley.
Eyewitnesses said as the commercial bus was getting to the end of the road, the civil defence officers opened fire on the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and crash into the valley. The vehicle reportedly burst into flames instantly.
Reports of the incident led to a protest by commercial bus drivers and other sympathisers, particularly natives of Ngwo town, where the passengers were reportedly heading for before they met tragic end. Some of the drivers and youths reportedly attempted to protest at the office of the NSCDC around New Market, but heavily armed operatives repelled the protesters by barricading the road leading to the office and shooting into the air.
Some commercial bus drivers, who interacted with our correspondent during the protest, said the NSCDC men shot at their vehicles when they approached the building. Our correspondent was shown some commercial buses with shattered windscreens and glasses.
A witness, who refused to identify himself, claimed that the driver of the commercial bus had refused to give the NSCDC a bribe before they started chasing the vehicle. “The incident happened because the driver refused to give them a bribe when they stopped him. They went after him, shot at the vehicle and seven people lost their lives,” he said.
At the scene of the crash on Millikin Hill, our correspondent observed that the commercial bus was totally burnt. The charred remains of a passenger were trapped under the vehicle, which was lying on its back inside the valley.
An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who was at the scene of the crash, informed our correspondent that the corpses of three passengers had been moved to an undisclosed hospital morgue.
There were reports that the civil defence personnel involved in the incident had been taken into custody. But this could not be confirmed by our correspondent. A towing van was eventually brought to lift the vehicle, after which the trapped corpse was removed and put in an ambulance. The body was reportedly taken to the morgue of the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre, Enugu.
Police sources informed our correspondent that a girl, said to be the sole survivor of the crash, was taken to the office of the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Danmallam. Danmallam, who later arrived at the protest scene, said the girl had been hospitalised and could not talk.
He said investigations had commenced, adding that some suspects had been arrested. He said, “This type of thing should not be allowed; we have made arrests. Investigations have started and we are asking people who witnessed what happened to come forward to make statements. “We assure you that nobody involved would be allowed to go scot-free. This is not the type of case that can be swept under the carpet.
“I learnt that they (NSCDC officials) were chasing the bus; but I don’t know for what offence.
Play a part in reducing road accidents
FRIDAY MARCH 23 2018 By David S. Mukooza
When you are driving, you should be doing just that and nothing else. In case of an accident, do not touch or move the seriously wounded victims unless there is a risk of fire or toxic fumes.
Many Families have chilling accounts of losing their loved ones to road accidents. More than half of road fatalities involve people inside motor vehicles, the rest are either pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists. Human error is often seen as the cause of road accidents. However, the traffic environment must be developed in such a way that human errors do not lead to serious consequences. Improving road safety involves dealing with issues related to road users, the traffic environment, and the condition of vehicles.
Training for drivers especially on safe driving, first aid, loading of vehicles, how to report accidents and near misses on the road, should also be paramount
Weather and visibility According to Benjamin Ochola, a traffic officer, changes in weather conditions can alter the road surface, which can increase the risk of skidding, thus increasing the distance needed to stop a vehicle. Inadequate visibility is a risk factor.
This can be due to the weather, darkness, and covered or broken vehicle windows, lack of lights or reflectors. Other visibility risks are road users’ changed or weakened eyesight. Enough street lighting and encouraging pedestrians or cyclists to wear reflective clothing increases their visibility, thus increasing their safety on the road.
Health According to Dr Charles Wabwire, a private Orthopedic doctor, drivers face the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, shoulders and back.
Professional drivers are also exposed to vibration produced by the vehicle. Whole body vibration and prolonged sitting or standing increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (especially back disorders).
“Ergonomics, such as the design of the seat and other equipment should be considered, and appropriate advice on driving posture should be provided,” Ochola says. Employers must ensure that people who drive for work are aware that they must meet the minimum legal eyesight standards and encourage them to have their sight tested regularly,” he says.
Safety devices and aspects The technical condition of vehicles is important. Drivers should use vehicles that are equipped with safety devices including airbags, speed alerts and adaptive headlight systems, among others.
“Wearing a helmet decreases the risk of head injuries while cycling, roller-skating or riding a motorcycle,” the doctor advises. In addition to regular general checks, drivers should know how to check the condition of their vehicle before starting a journey. If the vehicle is damaged or fails the check, the driver should have repairs done before setting off. Similarly, tyres, especially when braking must meet safety requirements. They should be checked before driving and replaced by new ones if there are signs of wear.
Proper loading In order to avoid accidents caused by shifting materials, fix the load in such a way that it will not be shed, even in sudden braking situations. The weight of the load should not exceed the capacity of the vehicle.
Risk assessment Leonard Alikiriza, the chief executive officer Nyaks and Lenny Enterprises, a company that transports cement, says the employer can ensure that workers have the prerequisites for safe road travel by providing training.
“Training increases drivers’ awareness of risks. Different vehicle types demand different training, but traffic regulations are the same for all road users. It is important that all road users know and adhere to traffic regulations,” he says.
Alikiriza says in addition to general road accident risks, professional drivers face risks caused by organisational stressors such as just-in-time management and client pressure. “Employers can improve work-time road safety by allowing working time flexibility and change of shifts,” he says.
Driving under the influence Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs poses a serious risk not only to the driver, but also to passengers and other road users. Alcohol and drugs impair judgement, making drivers more likely to take risks. Substance abuse slows reactions, increases stopping distances, affects judgement of speed and distance, and reduces the field of vision.
Investigating road accidents Accident and near miss reports provide information regarding places in which dangers exist. Inadequate maintenance of roads and road surfaces may lead to road accidents. Drivers can improve their road safety by collecting reports on places that pose particular risks to commuters and professional drivers, and by investigating road accidents and afterwards providing feedback and safety suggestions to those responsible for the traffic environment.
Others
•Drivers should avoid being involved in complex conversations while driving.
• Most roads are designed with particular speed limits beyond which you should not drive.
• When someone neglects to obey traffic signs and signals, they are putting themselves and others at risk.
Four die, scores injured in Iganga accident
22nd March 2018 By Yazid Yolisigira
Residents look at the wreckage of the taxi that was parked at Iganga police station.. PHOTO BY YAZID YOLISIGIRA 
Four people have been confirmed dead while others sustained injuries when the taxi in which they were traveling collided with an oncoming Fuso Truck at Igenge Village along the Iganga-Jinja Highway.
According to Mr Yusuf Maganda, an eyewitness, the Monday night accident occurred when the Fuso driver tried to overtake at a wrong point.
“The driver of the Fuso was speeding and as he tried to overtake in a corner, he collided with a taxi which was coming from the opposite direction,” he said.
The Busoga East region police publicist, James Mubi, identified three of the deceased as Mwamadhi Magumba, a resident of Walanga Village in Iganga, Joseph Abra, a resident of Iganga and Joan Nafuna, a resident of Bugiri; while the identity of the fourth person remained unknown. By press time, the bodies were still lying at Iganga Hospital mortuary.
The injured were identified as Rajab Musisi, Winnie Nabirye, Jamal Mulavu, Rehema Auma, Henry Gonza, Samson Lubanga and Robinah Akiror. These were immediately rushed to Iganga Hospital with fractured legs, hands and ribs.
Mr Mubi attributed the accident to reckless driving by the Fuso driver who fled the scene. “He was speeding and wanted to overtake in a corner which was wrong. If he had observed traffic guidelines, perhaps the accident could not have occurred,” he said.
At the accident scene, locals recounted how they struggled to break into the wreckage to retrieve the deceased and injured. “Some passengers sustained gruesome injuries that we collected some of their body parts by hands and loaded them onto the police vehicle,” Mr Musa Tenywa said.
Police condemned the act and warned motorist against contravening traffic guidelines. Cases of road accidents are on the rise in Iganga District, with nine people having perished in a period of one month.
Ghana: 336 killed in over 2,000 accidents in just two months
22nd March 2018
The jeep Ebony was on board completely mangled after it collided with a VIP bus
The Commission also stated that a total of 2,095 road crashes were recorded in January and February alone, representing a significant rise from the same period in 2017.
Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the official launch of the 2018 Easter Road Safety Campaign, the Chief Executive of the NRSC, Ing. May Obri-Yeboah, said over-speeding and the absence of street lights on most highways are major contributory factors for these accidents.
“If you look at most of the cases that happened, you can see that normally the road is clear and i’ts a straight route so that gives us an idea of speeding. Speeding has been a major contributory factor to it. In a few cases we’ve had vehicles run into stationary vehicles and wrongful overtaking A few also have been in the night, there have been cases like that where bad roads have contributed but most of it has been over-speeding,” she said.
“We have an issue with street lights, we are trying to take some inventory to see what is happening, but it shows clearly most of our roads are dark. Where there are even lampposts, the lights are not on,” she added.
Two Zambian Nationals have died in a fatal road traffic accident in Johannesburg, South Africa.
21st March 2018
The two identified as Jerome Mulenga aged 33, holder of passport number ZN226638 and Musonda Mwanza holder of passport number ZN434215 died on the spot when the vehicle they were travelling in lost control and overturn several times.
According to the information made available to the Zambian Mission in Pretoria, the accident happened at the left turn off ramp before the right turn to Lanseria as the duo were coming from their home in Randburg.
Ghana: 6 Die In Dawn Crash
SIX PERSONS have been confirmed dead in two separate accidents on the Akyem Asafo stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway in the Eastern Region.
The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, told DAILY GUIDE that two vehicles – a Chrysler private car with registration number GE 9302-14 and a DAF cargo truck with registration number AS 2281-17 – ran into a Man Diesel truck numbered GC 2790-09, which had been parked by the roadside.
According to ASP Tetteh, one Rexford Manu, 58 (and now deceased) – who was driving the Chrysler saloon car from Ntotroso towards Accra – ran into the parked truck.
He said Manu died on the spot, adding that on Monday, March 19, 2018, at about 4:30 am, another DAF cargo truck from Kumasi, loaded with boxes of tomato, also ran into the same truck, killing three occupants on board.
An eyewitness narrated to DAILY GUIDE that a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus with registration number E R 1186-14, had one of its tyres burst and eventually somersaulted before landing in the bush. Seven people who were on board the Sprinter bus reportedly sustained injuries and three died on the spot.
$3 billion allegedly embezzled under Jonathan can build major roads, 2nd Niger bridge – Osinbajo
The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday said the $3 billion allegedly stolen under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan could have built the 2nd Niger bridge and seven major roads in the country.
Mr. Osinbajo spoke at the Ogun State Investors’ Forum, held in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
The vice president said that the ultimate goal of the Buhari administration has been the diversification of the economy, away from the kind of unhealthy dependence on oil and gas revenues that led Nigeria to the dire straits in which it found itself.
Mr. Osinbajo also noted that a sum of $3 billion allegedly stolen under the previous administration could have helped rehabilitate Nigeria’s crumbling infrastructure if judiciously used.
The vice president had earlier on Monday in Abuja accused the Jonathan government of embezzling the fund some few weeks to the 2015 presidential elections.
But in his reaction Tuesday, Mr. Jonathan challenged Mr. Osinbajo to provide evidence that his government embezzled the money.
A statement released by a former spokesperson to Mr. Jonathan, Reno Omokri, which the former President confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday morning he stood by, also accused Mr. Osinbajo of repeatedly lying to score cheap points in the public arena.
But the vice president again on Tuesday insisted the Jonathan government stole the money, adding that it could have been used to fix the East-West Road, Lagos-Abeokuta old road, among other major roads across the country.
World Head Injury Awareness Day 2018 ways to prevent road traffic accidents and resulting injuries and deaths
20th MARCH 2018
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/665444/world-head-injury-awareness-day.html
Road accidents: eight killed, nine injured in 24 hours
20th March 2018
ALGIERS- Eight people lost their lives and nine others were injured in road accidents in many provinces over the past 24 hours, the Civil Protection Department said Monday in a statement.
Nurse dies, 6 injured in kombi crash
A NURSE from Plumtree died on the spot while six people are admitted at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after a commuter omnibus they were travelling in overturned and rolled several times along the Plumtree-Mphoengs Road. The accident occurred on Friday last week.
The driver of the commuter omnibus from Mathole Transporters lost control after he allegedly tried to overtake a police vehicle. The commuter omnibus, which was enroute to Plumtree from Mphoengs, landed on its wheels after rolling several times.
Ms Sakhile Moyo, a nurse who was based at the Roman Catholic run St Anne’s Hospital in Mphoengs, died on the spot. Matabeleland South police could not be reached for comment. Plumtree District Medical Officer, Dr Langalokusa Sibanda, described Ms Moyo’s death as a great loss.
“It’s a great loss to the district and the Ministry as a whole. She was a dedicated and experienced midwife. As a Ministry we pass our heartfelt condolences to her family. May her soul rest in peace. It’s so sad,” said Dr Sibanda. According to a police source, there were 18 passengers in the kombi.
“At the Bhulu area, the driver saw a police truck in front of him. Because he was speeding he could not brake. He tried to overtake at high speed and lost control of the vehicle,” said the source. “The six are admitted at UBH where they are in a serious condition. Some of the passengers were treated and discharged at St Anne’s Hospital,” he said.
Ghana: No cause for alarm: Ejurahene assures citizens after death of three students
19th March 2018
Ejurahene Barimah Osei Hwedie II
Barimah Hwedie has also vowed to personally work with the police and the courts until the final determination of the matter.
The Ejurahene gave the assurance a day after angry youths in the town stormed the Ejura-Sekyedumase police station to demand the whereabouts of the driver who killed the two female students of the Ejura Islamic Senior High school on Tuesday. They also demanded the accident vehicle, following reports that the driver and the vehicle had been moved to the Mampong Divisional Police headquarters.
The youth were angered by the actions of the police amid suspicions that the matter may be swept under the carpet.
The Ejura District Police commander, Chief Superintendent Richarson Kumeko, has confirmed that the police had to flee for their lives when the rampaging youth stormed the police station.
Several items were destroyed at the Charge Office, according to Chief Superintendent Richarson.
The two female students of the Ejura Islamic Senior High in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality school, Idrissu Maridiya and Shaibu Farisa, both 19 years, were killed in the afternoon of March 13, 2018 when a Nissan Navara pick up vehicle heading to Sunyani from Atebubu run over them near the Ejura Agriculture School.
The two were part of a group of four students returning home from school. They were pronounced dead at the Ejura government hospital. Meanwhile, a third student has since passed away, while the last one is in critical condition.
Speaking to the media, Barimah Osei Hwedie said he is convening a meeting on Sunday with all stakeholders to deliberate on the way forward.
“These are our children and my elders and I will do everything possible to ensure that justice is done. I am meeting with all stakeholders to assess the situation and plan on the way forward.
“I want to assure my people that my elders and I will not sit by idly and watch events unfold. We will pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.
“Ejura is a peaceful place, and we will do everything possible to maintain the peace” Barimah Osei Hwedie concluded.
Investigations are still ongoing, according to the police.
Call for stringent safety measures after crash claims 9 lives in Helpmekaar near Ladysmith
19 March 2018 | Department of Transport
One dead, 14 injured after two taxis collide in Durban
2018-03-18 Derrick Spies, Correspondent
Durban – One person was killed and fourteen others injured after two taxis and a vehicle collided on the corner of Warwick Avenue and Old Dutch Road in the Durban city centre on Saturday morning.Rescue Care Paramedics spokesperson, Garrith Jamieson said the accident had occurred just after 05:00.
He said paramedics had arrived on the scene to find that two taxis and a vehicle had collided in the junction.”One male, believed to be in his forties, had sustained major injuries and unfortunately there was nothing paramedics could do to assist and he was declared deceased on the scene,” he said. Jamieson said a further fourteen people had sustained various injuries and were stabilised on the scene by multiple Rescue Care ambulances and advanced life support units, before being transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.
30-tonne truck in freak accident
By Whinsley Masara/ Nokuthula Mavuwa
A haulage truck transporting a 30-tonne Grain Marketing Board (GMB) consignment from Bulawayo to Binga failed to ascend a steep slope and rolled back before landing on its side, blocking the Binga-Kamativi road.
The truck was delivering 30 tonnes of a mealie- meal from Bulawayo to its depot in Binga when the accident occurred at the 28KM Bridge along Binga-Kamativi Road at around 11AM on Thursday. Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the accident and said efforts to get a crane to remove the 30 tonne truck were still in progress.
GMB corporate communications, officer Mr Joseph Katete, said they were still trying to establish the cause of the accident and clear the road. He confirmed that the truck was carrying meal-meal.
“A truck carrying a GMB consignment overturned and blocked the Binga-Kamativi Road. Officials are in meetings, hence I haven’t received a full report on what happened and the current situation at the site,” he said. The MP for Binga South constituency, Mr Gabbuza Gabbuza, said the accident had inconvenienced travellers, among them villagers on their way to a rally which was addressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at Nechilibi Secondary School at Cross Mabale yesterday.
He said many were forced to make a U-turn and use a longer route to their destination.
5 die, 2 injured in auto crash in Ogun 5 die, 2 injure in auto crash in Ogun
MARCH 17, 2018
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, made this known in a sktatement in Abeokuta on Friday. 
He said that the accident happened on Thursday night around Igbara town stretch of the road. Akinbiyi, who attributed the cause to malfunctioned break system and excessive speed said it involved a Toyota Camry Car marked AAA 889 ER and a Truck with registration number KNA 346 XA.
The TRACE Spokesman said that the driver of the truck had trouble controlling the wheel when his brake malfunctioned and rammed into the Camry car that was parked by the road side. “The truck had a break failure due to over speeding and rammed into the Camry car parked by the roadside. “All the five passengers in the Camry car, including the driver died on the spot and their bodies have been deposited at the morgue of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH). “The injured were the driver and a passenger in the truck, who are now at the Ogijo Divisional Police Headquarters as well as the vehicles,” Akinbiyi said. (NAN)
Police officer dies in council vehicle – combi chase
A police officer died on Friday in Harare after a council vehicle overturned during a high speed chase with a combi.
According to a source, a Harare City Council vehicle was enforcing and monitoring compliance of traffic laws in the central business district and saw a combi which plies Mufakose – City route loading passengers at an undesignated spot.
Council officers were in the company of Zimbabwe Republic Police members during the operation.
“A council vehicle was chasing a combi which plies Mufakose – City route which was combi was loaded with passengers. The council vehicle overturned killing a police officer on the spot,” the source said.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Michael Chideme confirmed the accident. However, he could not confirm the death of a police officer.
“I can confirm that our vehicle was involved in a road traffic accident. We were doing a joint operation with the police,” said Chideme.
Recently, police shot and killed two people following a misunderstanding with a combi driver.
KZN: 1 person trapped in wreckage of truck involving 2 heavy motor vehicles on the N2 south bound just before Zinkwazi
17th March 2018 | From Arrive Alive
At approximately 10H30 Friday morning Netcare 911 responded to reports of a serious collision on the N2 south bound just before Zinkwazi on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.On the arrival of the Netcare 911 Emergency Care Practitioner another private ambulance service was already in attendance.The truck driver an adult male had to be freed by Fire and Rescue crews using the “Jaws of Life” Reports from the scene indicate the two Heavy motor vehicles were involved in a collision affecting traffic on both southbound lanes. A helicopter air ambulance was called to the scene to airlift the seriously injured man to hospital for further assessment and care.
The Road Traffic Inspectorate as well as the SAPS were on scene and will be investigating.
2 die, 20 injured in Beitbridge accident
TWO people died on the spot and another 20 were injured yesterday, when a speeding Harare-bound Munenzva bus hit a pedestrian, veered off the road and landed on its side, approximately 40 kilometres from the Beitbridge Border Post along the Beitbridge-Harare Road.
Injured passengers, including the driver who sustained a broken limb, were taken to Beitbridge District Hospital, four hours after the accident that occurred just after midnight. 
The bus, which was coming from Johannesburg allegedly hit and killed a lone male pedestrian, before landing on its side and trapping a female passenger sleeping on her seat.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the accident and said the names of both the deceased were being withheld because their next of kin were yet to be informed. “The bus had 23 passengers and the driver claimed losing control after trying to avoid a man on the crown of the road. He swerved to the right, but caught the pedestrian with the left front side of the bus killing him on the spot,” Ndebele said.
Passengers who survived the crash claimed the bus was speeding. “The bus was going too fast. He failed to avoid the man and when he tried he lost control of the bus because it was going fast,” Anabel Dube, who was travelling to Mvuma, said. The director of the bus company who declined to be named, but was later identified only as Regis said a spare bus had been dispatched to Beitbridge to pick passengers and their goods.
“Why would you need my name? We are dispatching another bus to pick those people,” he said without saying what his company would do for the deceased.
Ethiopia Bus Crash Kills 38 Students
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s state-affiliated broadcaster says that a bus plunged into a ditch, killing 38 people in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region.
Fana Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday that the bus veered off the road and went into the trench. It said an additional 10 people were injured.
The broadcaster reported that most of the victims were university students. It said the accident happened in the south Wollo area.
Ethiopia is upgrading its road system but dilapidated roads, inadequate driving skills and poor conditions of vehicles contribute to road traffic deaths. According to a report in Ethiopia last year, traffic accidents claimed the lives of more than 16,000 people in the country between 2014 and 2017.
Drunk motorist kills four, injures 16 in Lekki toll gate crash
Samson Folarin
Tragedy struck on Sunday at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State, after the driver of a Lexus sport utility vehicle, Gbeminiyi Odeniyi, rammed into a commercial bus.
While two persons died on the spot, two others reportedly died at the Lagos Island General Hospital, Marina, where they were taken to for treatment. A total of 16 others, which included passengers of the commercial bus and Odeniyi, were severely injured.
PUNCH Metro learnt that some bus drivers mobilised to stage a protest against the management of the toll gate, but shelved the idea after realising the accident was caused by the driver of the vehicle, who was suspected to be drunk.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Adeshina Tiamiyu, said the agency received a distress call on the accident around 6.49am.
He explained that LASEMA mobilised other agencies to the scene, including policemen from the Maroko division, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, officials of the State Environmental Monitoring Unit and Lagos State Ambulance Service.
According to Tiamiyu, investigation by the agency’s response team at the scene showed that the Lexus GX470, with the number plate, Lagos KJA 615 DF, was driving against traffic when it rammed into the commercial bus, with the number plate, KJA-615DF.
The commercial bus was reportedly coming from the Ajah area and had been cleared to pass the toll gate when the accident happened.
“A total of four fatalities were recorded, including three adult males and an adult female. Sixteen casualties with severe injuries were rescued, including four adult females and 12 adult males. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital, Marina.
“Emergency and security operatives were involved in traffic management (to forestall the occurrence of a secondary accident), crowd control, medical care to casualties and moving of victims to the general hospital and the Trauma Centre at the toll gate for further treatment.
“The two victims who died at the scene were handed over to SEHMU, while the remaining two were later confirmed dead,” he added.
He said wreckage of the vehicles were handed over to officials of the toll gate, who moved them to the Maroko Police station.
The LASEMA boss advised motorists to drive with caution when on highways and abstain from taking alcoholc beverages before driving.
He added that motorists should also ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy before embarking on journeys to avoid unnecessary loss of lives
“This particular incident will be investigated by security operatives, while the state government will ensure prosecution of the culprit to serve as a deterrent to errant motorists,” he added.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Concession Company, managers of the toll gate, Mohammad Hassan, who described the accident as unfortunate, claimed that hard drugs were found in Odeniyi’s vehicle.
“The danfo (commecial bus) had just paid its toll and was about to leave when one hopeless motorist took one way and hit it.
“When the police came and searched the SUV, they found different kinds of drugs, meaning the driver didn’t know what he was doing. I learnt two people died and others were injured,” he said.
Hassan added that colleagues of the bus driver, who saw the accident thought it was caused by workers at the toll gate and wanted to protest.
He noted that the firm called leaders of the transport workers to explain the situation, which made the drivers to drop the idea.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the police had a record of three deaths.
“Three bus passengers died on the spot, while 10 others, with varying degrees of injury, were rescued and taken to the Lagos Island and Gbagada general hospitals for treatment. The erring motorist is in a critical condition. Corpses have been deposited at the Lagos Island General Hospital’s morgue for autopsy, while the vehicles were recovered to the station for inspection,” he said in a text message.
While speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, Oti denied that the police found hard drugs in the vehicle, saying the driver was, however, discovered to be drunk.
In a related development, two sympathiers lost their lives along the Eko Bridge on Lagos Island, while trying to rescue the driver of a Honda CRV who had a lone crash on Sunday.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the sympathisers were bringing out the motorist when the driver of a Toyota Camry, identified as Ayorinde Ibitayo, ran over them.
Oti, who confirmed the accident, said the suspect was in custody.
“The Honda CRV, with the number plate, APP 304 DV, had an accident around 2.30am. As sympathisers were trying to rescue the victim out of his car, a Toyota Camry, without a number plate, driven by one Ayorinde Ibitayo, of Akinwunmi Street, Ifako, Lagos, ran into the sympathisers. Two of them were crushed,” he said.
4 ex-ministers face probe over Chivayo deals
FOUR former Energy ministers, who served under ex-President Robert Mugabe between 2013 and 2017 are being investigated for allegedly turning the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) into their feeding trough, where they flouted tender procedures to line their pockets.
This was revealed yesterday, when the ZPC board appeared before the Temba Mliswa-led Mines and Energy Portfolio Committee and implicated former Energy ministers, Elton Mangoma (MDC-T), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Zanu-PF), Samuel Undenge (Zanu-PF) and former Energy deputy minister Munacho Mutezo (Zanu-PF), as having played different roles in the awarding of shady energy supply deals to businessman, Wicknell Chivayo’s Intratek and paying him $5,6 million without a bank guarantee in the $200 million Gwanda Solar Project.
The board told Parliament that Chivayo, and all those implicated were now being probed by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). The board refused to further elaborate on the action to be taken against Chivayo, for fear of jeopardising investigations into the matter.
ZPC board chairperson, Stanley Kazhanje was at pains to explain how they failed to check Intratek’s CR14 forms, as required by the Companies Act to see if Chivayo was not a convicted criminal.
It also emerged during the hearing that Kazhanje’s private electrical company provided technical services to Chivayo’s Intratek and was paid $10 000. When asked to explain if there was political interference, he failed to give a precise response.
ZPC board member and chairperson of the power utility’s finance and procurement committee, Thandiwe Mlobane then implicated Mangoma, Undenge, Mavhaire and Mutezo, accusing them of issuing ministerial directives to suspended ZPC managing director, Noah Gwariro to award Chivayo the tender, and to pay him the $5,6 million without a bank guarantee.
“Gwariro was involved in a very serious accident, which left him unable to move or speak, but we knew there was political pressure on Gwariro to pay Chivayo the $5,6 million without the bank guarantee, but we wanted to hear it from Gwariro and it was until December (2017), when he got better when we pointed out to him that the Labour Act would have protected him from listening to political pressure from the ministers,” she said.
“Even for Intratek to be awarded the contract in 2013 (Mangoma’s tenure), it was political and even the deputy Energy minister Mutezo gave a go-ahead that he must be awarded. “Mangoma gave a go-ahead for the feasibility study and Intratek even sought the assistance of Mutezo, and Mavhaire awarded the contract, while the pressure for the money to be paid without a bank guarantee came from Undenge.”
Mliswa said it was shocking that all this happened during Mugabe’s era and no action was taken. He said ZPC seemed oblivious of the corruption and were only opening up now, following Mugabe’s ouster last November. It also emerged that while ZPC paid Chivayo $5,6 million, Zesa was failing to pay $4 million to struggling Hwange Colliery Company.
Magwegwe MP, Anele Ndebele said ZPC had let the country down to the extent that Kazhanje himself must have resigned as board chairperson after the saga.
It also came out during the committee proceedings that Kazhanje’s ZPC board was not appointed by Zesa, but by Mavhaire.
“The board was appointed by Mavhaire, but in terms of corporate governance principles, it was supposed to be appointed by its subsidiary company, Zesa,”she said.
Zesa group chief executive officer, Josh Chifamba added: “The problems we had, particularly with this contract, were that it was political and there was clear political interference. “It is a pity that corporate governance principles were not adhered to.”
Before ZPC made its appearance before the committee, the current Procurement Regulatory Authority chairperson, Vimbai Nyemba and chief executive officer, Nyasha Chizu told legislators that procurement procedures were not followed.
“The tender documents came from the ZPC accounting officer, but the then State Procurement Board (SPB) had a large input, and usually corruption happens at planning stage. “It happens behind the scenes,” Nyemba said.
Chizu said the initial Gwanda Solar Project tender was awarded to Chinese company, China Jiangxi in 2013.
He said Intratek then approached the SPB then chaired by the late Charles Kuwaza and said they would match China Xiangxi’s price of $252 million and wanted the tender.
“In my opinion it was a violation of the Procurement Act.
“ZPC should have done due diligence to ensure that Chivayo was not a convicted criminal.
“The tender was done in 2013 and it was after Chivayo’s conviction, which means the Registrar of Companies slept on duty to allow his company Intratek to be registered,” he said. Chizu said China Xiangxi was awarded the tender in terms of the Procurement Act and the process was supposed to end there.
“There were things happening in the background, which former SPB boss, Kuwaza allowed.”
Taxi alleged to have forced Vehicle Off Road in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal
A male driver suffered injuries after his vehicle was forced off the northbound lane on the R102 and crashed through a barrier meters before a concrete bridge. The suv rolled multiple times and landed in a bush near the Umdloti River.
At approx 18:18 this afternoon (Sunday) Members of Reaction Unit South Africa was dispatched to the scene after receiving multiple calls from passing motorists who reported that a white Range Rover SUV flipped several times after being forced off the road by a minibus taxi. Motorists who stopped on the bridge to assist could not provide information on the driver or occupants as the vehicle was not accessible.
Paramedics & Reaction Officers arrived on scene & walked for approx six minutes through a dense bush to reach the injured man. Upon arrival at the vehicle, Medics found that the driver was assisted by an unknown person who helped remove him from the vehicle. There were no other occupants.
He was stabilized on scene and transported to Gateway Hospital in Umhlanga for further treatment.
$150 bribes costs nation millions
BEFORE the army-led Operation Restore Legacy, the occurrence of road accidents in Zimbabwe was attributed to failure by the traffic police to stem road carnage, as they were only keen to collect money from traffic offenders, without arresting unlicensed drivers or impounding unroadworthy vehicles.
This resulted in a number of defective cars, overloaded vehicles and those without proper documentation freely operating on the roads, at the expense of human life.
The dawn of the new dispensation resulted in the removal of traffic police from the roads and a reduction in the number of roadblocks along major highways, a move motorists received with joy.
However, the roadblock-free festive season turned out to be the bloodiest, leaving experts in agreement that human error is the major cause of road accidents in Zimbabwe.
Allegations are that the Vehicle Investigations Department (VID) has been churning out half-baked drivers in exchange for money. An instructor with a top driving school, who declined to be named, said despite government’s efforts to stamp out corruption at VID depots, it seemed to be a futile exercise, as the officials say they have a target number of licences to be issued per day.
“For instance, you take seven young people, who are all exceptional in driving. “Out of the seven, you have two, who have $150 for the bribe. “Upon testing, the two get the licences leaving the other five without. “The next move is that the remaining five will then inquire from those who passed and this would result in corruption,” he said.
“So, the VID should not work with a target per day, but issue licences to those that deserve. “We have a number of good drivers, but because of corruption, we are at risk.” It is alleged that to get a driver’s licence, one has to fork out $150 as bribe.
Transport and Infrastructure Development minister, Joram Gumbo, who says he is monitoring activities at VID, acknowledged that Zimbabwe is losing millions of dollars per year, as accidents gobble from national coffers.
“It is shocking to note that Africa, with about 20% of the total world vehicle population, accounts for 80% of the total world road crashes,” he said.
“In low and middle-income countries, the cost of road traffic injuries is estimated at up to $100 billion dollars a year, money that could be spent on schools, hospitals and economic development.
“Road traffic injuries cost countries between 1% and 2% of their gross national product.
“An analysis of errors committed by some of our drivers makes one wonder whether they are licensed to drive these vehicles.
“We will not hesitate to descend heavily on any culprits implicated in soliciting for bribes and giving bribes in order to obtain a licence to drive a motor vehicle.”
A 2014 Global Corruption Perception Index report released by Transparency International ranked Zimbabwe 156 out of 175 of highly corrupt countries in the world.
Gumbo recently vowed to stamp out corruption at VID and even threatened to fire all corrupt officials.
However, people, who spoke to NewsDay Weekender, said corruption should not be blamed on VID officials only, but was now a nationwide cancer and instead, they also blamed the state of the country’s roads.
“Let us talk of human error after all is in perfect condition, especially the roads. “Some of the cars from Europe have bright lights that have detrimental effects, as some road users have poor eyesight,” a commuter omnibus driver in Marondera, Paul Mashaya, said.
Recently, Gumbo announced that about 54 VID officials were fired over corruption, while 199 licences were cancelled. Passenger Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) director, Tafadzwa Goliath, hailed the clampdown on corrupt VID officials and said this will go a long way in reducing carnage on major roads.
“We condemn the colluding of driving schools’ instructors and VID in corruptly issuing drivers’ licences and issuing of fitness certificates to unroadworthy vehicles.
“However, we applaud the weeding out of these bad elements in VID, as proven by the dismissal of 54 VID officers for graft” he said.
Goliath concurred that road accidents cost the nation millions of dollars.
“Road accidents are a major public health problem and given the fact that most of those killed or disabled by road carnage are young and economically active people, hence, the cost on the economy is significant.
“Already, our hospitals are strained in terms of medication and human resources and this is further exacerbated by the fact that thousands of people are killed or injured every year on our roads.
“Government has, in the past, assisted victims of road carnage that were declared national disasters.
“Statistics also reveal that the economy loses more than $400 million dollars annually,” he said.
Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (GHACO) official, Ngoni Katsvairo, said despite the clean-up at VID, there is need for all drivers to obtain defensive drivers certificates (DDC).
“As an additional measure to curb accidents, we urge the government to ensure that every driver, who obtains a driver’s licence passes through DDC before they start driving.
“During that process, they can also be required to go through practical road tests by TSCZ officers.
“The DDC must not be limited to public service vehicle drivers only.”
Namibia: Doctor put on leave after shock road video
Doctor put on leave after shock road video
Kempton Park collision leaves multiple people injured
11 March 2018 | From Arrive Alive
Johannesburg: Saturday morning 10/03/2018 Netcare 911 responded to reports of a serious collision on the split between the R21 and the R24 in Glenmarais, Kempton Park.Reports from the scene indicate that a bakkie and another light motor vehicle were involved in the collision that left multiple people injured.
The SAPS was on scene and will be investigating.
Ghana: 5 perish in Nkoranza road crash
A teacher at the Krenkuase Model ‘A’ JHS at Kwame Danso in the Sene West District of the Brong Ahafo region and four others have lost their lives in a gory accident Thursday evening.
Ishak Bajor and his wife and three others were on board an Nkoranza – bound taxi when the accident occurred on the Nkoransa- Ejura stretch.
The vehicle somersaulted after a tyre burst leading to the instant death of the five occupants.
The bodies have been deposited at the Holy Family Hospital at Techiman.
A male colleague of the deceased teacher Christopher Attiogbe told Starr News Bajor and his wife were returning to Nkoranza after visiting their children at Atebubu.
“He had gone for the holidays and they were returning home when the accident occurred”.
Ashanti Region: Six killed in accident near Ejura
Six persons have been confirmed dead in an accident near Haomako village between Nyame Bekyere and Ejura in the Ejura/Sekyedumase Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
An Opel Astra taxi cab with registration ER 4249-X, traveling from Techiman to Ejura with five passengers on board at about 8:30 am on Thursday, collided head-on with a Rhino truck with registration ER 4612-X from Ejura towards Nkoranza.
According to Police, the driver of the taxicab skidded off the road and entered the truck’s lane, colliding in the process.
Five passengers on board the Opel Astra taxi cab died on the spot, while one person from the truck died after being rushed to the Ejura Government Hospital.
The victims included two males, two females and two children.
Ejura/Sekyedumase District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Richardson Kumeko, who confirmed the accident to Citi News said the bodies were conveyed to Mampong hospital morgue for preservation, identification, an autopsy.
The country has recorded several fatal accidents in the country in just the first two months of the year 2018.
Statistics show decline of road accidents since NTSA pull out
By Lucas Ngasike 9th March 2018
Grisly accident along Nairobi-Naivasha road in March 2018 Barely a month after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) out of the Kenyan roads and replaced them with traffic police officers there has been slight decline of road accident in the last two months. A new daily traffic accidents statistics have revealed that the number of death on Kenya roads have slightly decreased even as pedestrians still record the highest number fatalities in road crashes.
Preliminary statistics released by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reveal that at least 1,782 people have lost their lives by February 28, 2018 compared to 1,971 who died the same period last year. Although NTSA distanced itself from the blame it pointed fingers on human error as the major causes of accidents on Kenyan roads.
The president directives to remove NTSA off the roads was ignited by the countrywide public outcry on total failure by NTSA to curb increased road crashes that had claimed dozens of lives the past one year. The latest statistics indicates that more pedestrians are still vulnerable to accidents across the country compared to the number of passengers, motorcyclist and pedal cyclists killed in road accidents.
Some victims said they were involved in accidents following a crackdown down by NTSA whose crude operation involved chasing cars like an antelope being chased by a lion in the park. “I was involved in a road accident that seriously injured me. I attempted to evade being caught by the officers chasing me. My car rolled several times and landed in a ditch,” said victim who asked not to be named. Traffic police officers are more professional when it comes to road safety matters and control of traffic on Kenyan roads.
The statistics indicates that pedestrians were hardest hit with 169 fatalities followed by 94 passengers who died in February 2018.
A report also indicates that between January 1 and February 27, this year, a total 488 people died in road crashes in various parts of the country. According to the report 176 pedestrians died in road crashes across the country followed by motorcyclists with 114 deaths recorded During the same period, 41 drivers lost their lives while 94 passengers and 9 pedal cyclist perished in the accidents.
However, the comparative statistics released in January 1, to February 28, 2017 indicate that a total of 474 people perished in a road crash. Out of this 196 pedestrians lost their lives and 82 motorcyclists. The report also reveals in 2017 the number of people who sustained serious injuries stood at 714 compared to 585 by February this year. But NTSA boss Francis Meja said that the reduction of accident was attributed to increase sensitization on road that has seen the number of crash victims go down.
“Sensitization on road usage has seen deaths as a result of road crashes reduce drastically compared to the same time last year. But as at now the traffic police officers have taken the role to enhance safety on the road,” Meja said.
Man dies in cart accident
A 67-YEAR-OLD man from Gwanda died on the spot after a donkey-drawn scotch cart he was travelling in overturned and hit him on the head.
Enart Ndlovu of Wabayi area under Chief Mathema was driving the scotch cart with three other passengers on board heading towards Sibona Primary School on Tuesday. Along the way, the scotch cart hit a tree stump and overturned throwing off the passengers. The scotch cart then hit Ndlovu on the head and he died on the spot.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident. “I can confirm we received a report of an accident which occurred in Gwanda on Tuesday. A 67-year-old man died in a scotch cart incident after the scotch cart hit a tree stump and overturned.
“We encourage members of the public to lead their animal drawn scotch carts at all times. We always warn people to take heed of such police warnings but sadly people ignore. It is sad to note that the province is continuously receiving such reports yet we talk of this on a daily basis,” he said.
The truck smashed into the Range Rover after its brake failed
Two people sustained injuries on Tuesday night in Kumasi when the Black Range Rover vehicle they were travelling with was involcrashed by a Tema Harbour-bound articulated truck loaded with sheanuts.
The brakes of the truck reportedly failed as it was climbing the hill in front of the Oforikrom Police Station and reversed.
The two men, a businessman and his friend were driving home around 9:55 pm at the time of the accident. They were subsequently taken to hospital for medical care.
The articulated truck has since been impounded and parked at the edge of the road in front of the Oforikrom Police station. Apart from destroying the Range Rover, it also smashed the front door of a Toyota Corolla vehicle.
7 killed, 4 critically injured in crash near Royal Natal National Park
2018-03-07 Amanda Khoza
Johannesburg – Seven people were killed and four others injured when a car collided with a bakkie on Tuesday, paramedics said.
“There has been a tragic crash which occurred on the R74 between Bergville and Harrismith, near the Royal National Park turn-off,” said KwaZulu-Natal EMS spokesperson Robert McKenzie.
“Tragically, we have seven fatalities. They passed away at the scene of the crash. Four people sustained critical injuries and were treated by KwaZulu-Natal EMS, before being transported to hospital.”
The exact cause of the accident was not known, said McKenzie.
Parliament shocked at road death of third MP in the past few months
2018-03-07 Paul Herman
Fezeka Loliwe (Supplied)
Toyota Hummer Bus Driver Dies In Fatal Crash At Ibafo Bus Stop On Lagos Ibadan Expressway
Posted on March 6, 2018
A tragic crash claimed the life of a man today when a speeding hummer bus crashed into a slow moving truck at the Ibafo bus stop along the Lagos Ibadan expressway.
We learnt that the Hummer bus driver on top speed rammed into the Mack truck which suddenly reduced its speed at the area and died on the spot. Ogun state Traffic Compliance Enforcement Agency spokesman, Babatunde Akinbiyi who confirmed the fatal crash said the corpse of the driver has been taken to Divine Touch Hospital in Ogun state.
2 die, six others injured in multiple road accident at Marura, Naivasha
6th March 2018
9 die in accidents
by Staff reporter 6th March 2018
In the first accident, six people died on the spot when a silver Toyota Ipsum collided with a Toyota Rav 4 at the 64km peg in the Mapinga Escarpment.
At least three passengers were injured in the accident and taken to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital where bodies of the deceased were also taken.
The other accident occurred at the 24km peg along the Harare-Chirundu Highway in Manyame.
11 people perish in Morogoro, Dodoma car crashes
By By Amina Juma and Habel Chidawali @TheCitizenTZ news@tz.nationmedia.com
Five people died in the Morogoro region accident this morning, Sunday,
March 4, when a Coach belonging to the New Force Bus Services Company
plying between Dar es Salaam and Tunduma collided with a small commuter
bus, Toyota Hiace. All the dead and the injured were the occupants of the
Toyota Hiace, which was badly destroyed. There were no casualties from the
Coach, according to witnesses.
The incident occurred at Mlali Village in Mvomero District. The Morogoro
Police Regional Commander (RPC), Mr Ulrich Matei confirmed that the
accident occurred, adding that more details about the injured would be
provided later.
Eye witnesses in the area claimed that negligence and reckless driving of the
Toyota Hiace driver, who perished in the accident, was the cause of the
mishap. The small bus collided with the Coach as it was overtaking another
vehicle.
Meanwhile six people died in the Dodoma Region’s accident today, March 4,
and six others were badly injured after a Toyota Hiace commuter bus collided
with a truck ferrying sand.
Dodoma Region Police Commander Gilles Muroto confirmed that the
accident occurred at the Ntyuka area. Witnesses say the all the dead were in
the truck and that the cause of the accident was break failure of the truck as it
was descending the Ntyuka slope.
Argument inside vehicle reportedly leads to vehicle rollover at KwaMashu, KZN
05 March 2018 | From Arrive Alive
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At approximately 02:30 this morning members of Reaction Unit South Africa were called out to the M25 leading to KwaMashu after receiving reports of a motor vehicle accident.
Upon arrival a Cherry QQ was found lying on its roof. It was established that the couple was traveling to KwaMashu when they began arguing. During the argument, the male passenger grabbed the steering wheel causing the vehicle to overturn.
The couple was not injured in the accident.
$206m highway crumbles before commissioning
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development has instituted an inquiry to ascertain the state and standard of the 800-kilometre Plumtree-Mutare Highway after complaints that the road was already in need of rehabilitation before it is officially handed over to Government.
The rehabilitation of the Plumtree to Mutare highway began in 2012 after a $206 million loan secured from the Development Bank of South Africa. The project was undertaken by Group Five International working with Zinara.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sunday News on Thursday last week, chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF) said Parliament was scrutinising the workmanship and due-diligence issues pertaining to the construction of the highway after a number of complaints from motorists and stakeholders.
“We are interrogating the quality and workmanship on the Plumtree-Mutare highway. A lot of sections of that road are now unravelling or they are becoming dilapidated before the commissioning of the road. The shelf life of a road is supposed to be a minimum of 10 years but look the road was started in 2012 and now its six years down the line, we have a lot of flaws emanating from the construction and the integrity of the road leaves a lot to be desired,” said Nduna.
He said the Portfolio Committee was also concerned that the Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers (ZIE) and the Zimbabwe Council of Engineers were not consulted and included in the implementation of the project.
“We got people coming with money and engineers whose credentials were not even interrogated. There was no involvement of the ZIE, which plays an oversight on all engineering projects. They (ZIE) are established by an Act of Parliament and there are adjudicated by the Ministry of Local Government and they were supposed to get a percentage, one or five of the project sum of any infrastructural development project so that they carry out their mandate,” said Nduna.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo could not be drawn into commenting on the state of the rehabilitation work being carried out on the road stating that the Government was waiting for the contractor to complete and handover the project for commissioning.
“We are waiting for those that were contracted to carry out the work on the road, which is Group Five to tell us if they have completed and then we can commission it. There are many areas that still need to be looked at which include setting up of lay-bys as well as road shoulders. I can’t comment on the nature of the work because that will be unprofessional as they are still to hand over the road to us,” said Dr Gumbo.
However, Nduna said Intertoll Zimbabwe and Univern Enterprises were also still to honour part of their terms of agreement in the project.
“The other issue which we are engaged in is to see if those who said they are going to do have carried out their duty. We had Intertoll coming into Parliament and tabled a report in Parliament that speaks to the establishment of Accidents Victims and Stabilisation Centres and all toll gates and all toll plazas. There are nine toll plazas along the Plumtree- Mutare highway, there are 17 tollgates in other roads run by Univern. So these two entities have alluded to the fact that they are able to establish Accident Victim Stabilisation Centres at their tollgates, this is to mitigate and ameliorate the issue of those involved in road carnages and road accidents as you are aware that 70 percent of people die due to road accidents. They die because they would not have reached places of hospitalisation,” said Nduna.
He said a report tabled in Parliament states that the departments are allocated 4,5 percent from the 12,5 percent accident remittances from insurance companies.
“The report we have tabled speaks to the issue of 4,5 percent being given to that department to establish those road Accident Victim stabilisation centres out of the 12,5 percent accident remittances arising from third party insurance from all the insurance companies…that report has been put in Parliament and tabled, we are certainly awaiting the responses positively. Zimbabwe has got five deaths per day and that’s too much against a global average of three deaths per day. So we need to move with the global trends and make sure we use what we have to get what we want,” said Nduna.
President Mnangagwa, when he was still Vice-President in 2016 said the Government was regretting awarding a tender for the upgrading of the road to Group Five of South Africa, saying the country did not get value for money from the deal. He said some locals were bribed to cover up for the mischief of the contractors. Mnangagwa said the Government felt cheated but was “now alert”.
“We don’t want a repeat of what happened this time. This is why it is now difficult for those guys to get into our projects,” he said then.
6 die, 18 others injured in fatal accident
Some two other vehicles including a taxi were also involved in the crash.
A fire officer Ackummey Elorm who confirmed the incident to Joy News’ Richard Kojo Nyarko suspects the accident may have been caused by over speeding.
Eyewitnesses say the Hyundai vehicle with registration number, GX 2894-17 attempted to overtake a trailer before running into the oncoming sprinter. The other vehicles then rammed into each other.
At least five persons died on the spot, with the sixth person died later at the Winneba Trauma and Specialist hospital.
The deceased persons include four women and two men.
Some of the injured persons are believed to be in critical condition are now receiving treatment at the Specialist hospital.
Road accidents: 2017 heaviest toll recorded during August
ALGIERS- The 2017 traffic accident heaviest toll has been recorded during the month of August, said the annual report of the Civil Protection.
Fish traders seize Police motorcycle over harassment, extortion
Traders protest after seizing the Police motorcycle. PHOTO BY YAZID YOLISIGIRA
IGANGA- Fish traders at Iganga central market have attacked a group of Police officers and crime preventers who were pursuing their colleague for allegedly ferrying immature fish.
Sadat Bamulanzeki is said to have been trailed by the officers on a boda boda and Police motorcycle registration number UP 2506 while ferrying fish from Mayuge District to Iganga and ended up at the Central Market where traders threatened to beat up the officers whom they accused of harassment and extortion.
In the ensuing scuffle, three officers and two Crime Preventers believed to be attached to Buligo Police Post in Iganga Town escaped, leaving their police motorcycle behind. The traders immediately deflated its tyres and fastened it to market stalls using ropes.
Mr Abdu Isabirye, one of the traders, said they were fed up of extortion and harassment from police officers and crime preventers under the guise of carrying out fish operations which is the work of the army.
Business in the market came to a standstill for about two hours when the protesters refused to release the motorcycle unless the Iganga District Police Commander (DPC), Nasibu Ndita, intervenes. Efforts by the Officer in-Charge of Buligo Police Post, Cadet ASP Peter Abao, to calm them down turned futile as he was eventually chased away.
While accusing Mr Abao of extortion, Goretti Masitula, another trader, said: “They have turned us into their daily income and we are fed up of them. We shall not release their motorcycle unless the DPC comes and tells us whether it is the work of the police and not the army to carry out fish operations.”
When Mr Ndita arrived later, he told them that it was the work of the army and not police to carry out fish operations and commended the traders for chasing the group he termed as ‘wrong people’. He said that the accused officers are to be charged with different offences.
4 die in Chivi road accident
Four people died in a horrific road accident along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway. The accident happened about 10 km from the Chivi tollgate at Gombe Bridge.
The accident which claimed four lives involved a haulage truck and a Honda Fit vehicle which was reduced to a shell. Upon arrival at the accident scene, ZBC News found the bodies of the deceased still at the site. Some body parts were still scattered under the haulage truck, with the Honda Fit trapped under the truck.
Mr Thabiso Mpakiri the driver of the haulage truck narrated the tragic moments that led to the accident.
He said as he was driving across Gombe bridge on his way from Beitbridge, the driver of the Honda Fit drove into a patch of water which splashed onto the screen and obscured his vision resulting in him encroaching into the oncoming traffic lane. Mupakiri said he tried to apply his breaks to avoid a head on but to no avail.
“When i was approaching the bridge, it was slightly raining and just as i was finishing the bridge the small Honda Fit came and it splashed a patch of water and it went onto his screen and he lost control and he came to my lane. His car was now diagonal with my truck and i tried to brake, i tried everything to avoid the accident but it was too late,” he said.
Distraught relatives who arrived at the scene of the accident and witnessed the ghastly sight could not contain their grief. Police attended the accident scene and names of the deceased are yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Republic Police has confirmed the death of the four. ZRP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the accident happened around 1130 hours where the driver of the Honda Fit and a pregnant woman were among the dead.
Chief Superintendent Nyathi also appealed to drivers to be very cautious and observant on the roads and expressed concern on human errors such as lane encroaching, overtaking errors and unfit vehicles as major contributors to accidents.
Fake goblins in bus
A BINGA man has appeared in court for duping and frightening passengers into believing the bus they were travelling in was carrying goblins which would cause a fatal accident.
Isaac Nkalakatha, 31, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Harare magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta charged with extortion and control of hunting, removal and sale of animals and animal products. He will be sentenced today.
The court heard it that on February 24 at around 6am, Nkalakatha exerted illegitimate pressure on complainant, Afra Nhanhanga, director of C.A.G bus company by calling her saying there were goblins in the bus which were set to cause a fatal accident and needed to be removed.
He further told Nhanhanga that he had been praying for the bus from Gokwe to Mbare, since he had boarded the bus. Nhanhanga then decided to meet Nkalakatha in person and he was being accompanied by the C.A.G bus crew. Nkalakatha ordered the conductor of the bus to open the boot where they found a black tshangani bag.
Nkalakatha further scared Nhanhanga and the bus crew that if they were strong enough they should touch the bag. He then opened the bag, inside it was a live tortoise and another funny object covered in a wild animal’s skin. The tortoise had a neck chain and beads around its neck.
Nkalakatha claimed that the tortoise was a goblin which was going to cause the accident.
Nhanhanga then gave Nkalakatha $20 as a token of appreciation. Nkalakatha left the scene going towards the city centre to perform his tricks.
He was later caught after Charles Chawanda a bus foreman caught him red-handed trying to put the tshangani bag in his bus and informed the police. The police officer arrested Nkalakatha and seized the alleged goblins.
The stolen money was recovered.
Driver who suffered serious injuries in crash is robbed while waiting for medical assistance
1st March 2018 2018 | From Arrive Alive
A man who had sustained serious injuries after colliding with a pole was then robbed of all his valuables whilst he awaited medical assistance this afternoon.Rescue Care Paramedics responded to the accident along Cato Manor Road just after 1pm today. On arrival they found the badly damaged vehicle on the roadside. The driver who had serious injuries as a result of the collision was then approached by bystanders who he thought were coming to assist him however they robbed him of all his valuables. The man was stabilised by Advanced Life Support Paramedics on the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that he required.At this stage the cause of the collision is unknown however SAPS were on the scene and will be investigating further.
Bad road hindering cross-border trade
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28 2018
Poor road. Cyclists ride on Maracha-DR Congo road that becomes impassable during the rainy seasons. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO
The delay to upgrade Maracha-DR Congo road that was last graded about 17 years ago is hindering the cross-border trade. During rainy seasons, the 38.5 kilometre road becomes impassable and passengers spend nights with their perishable goods hence make loses.
Besides being narrow and bushy, the road also has many potholes and becomes very dusty during the dry season.
Efforts by residents to task the district leadership to upgrade the road have yielded no fruit. “We feel like there is no government that caters for their people. Where do the taxes we pay go? Last year, I lost about Shs400,000 worth of my goods that perished on this road. We cannot reach the market in time,” Mr George Asiku, one of the road users, says, adding that the government should look at some priority areas for its citizens.
Poor surface: The acting district engineer, Mr George Olega, argues that the border road has a poor surface condition. “This road is at a level of rehabilitation. The surface is completely damaged which requires a lot of money. It will equally require the Ministry of Works and Transport to intervene,” he notes.
He adds: “Once a road reaches rehabilitation, it is supposed to be the ministry’s role to work on it. All border roads in the country, by policy, are security roads. That is why this road should have been taken over by central government.” He says a major rehabilitation work on this road is expected to cost Shs1.69 billion yet Maracha District receives about Shs400 million annually under the road fund.
“Maracha District with the meagre resources cannot manage to rehabilitate the road. We notified the central government. There is an engineer who came and did a survey. But we have not got any feedback from them,” Mr Lawrence Adiga, the district chairman, says.
The LC3 chairman of Oluffe Sub-county Pontius Eyotre, says the road also links to various schools and health centres. “The road is economically viable because there are many local markets linking the two countries where people can do a lot of business. The economic activities here will increase once the road is worked on,” he says.
Increased costs: Mr Denis Lee Oguzu, the Member of Parliament for Maracha constituency says: “The state of this road has significantly derailed trade in produce, increased transport costs and denied revenue for local and central government. We have severally written to those concerned to work on the road and we have raised the issue on the floor of Parliament. But these efforts have not materialised.”
Mr Tony Ochet, the station manager for Uganda National Road Authority office in Arua District, in a recent report said takeover of the border road requires a process that originates from the district council. “Let them (council) institute the process of handing over the road to central government. And once that is done, UNRA (Uganda National Road Authority) will maintain the road. But for now it is not under our mandate. We are more than willing to work on it once it is handed over to central government,” he said.
Recently during when the Speaker of Parliament drove on the road, she was surprised at the level of the sorry state of the road. She then promised to petition the Ministry of Works and Transport about the road as she said this was hindering business and was dangerous to lives.
History The Uganda-DRC border road that stretches from Vurra customs in Arua District to Oraba border in Koboko District (about 92km), was initially maintained by Arua District.
Ghana: Give National Road Safety Commission teeth to bite – Executive Director
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has appealed to the executive and the legislature to fast-track and pass into law a bill that will change its current awareness creation status to a regulator.
The commission believes that the change of status will empower the commission to play a major role, given that it would have the ‘teeth to bite’ partner agencies and compel them to do the right thing.
Speaking to The Finder, Executive Director of the NRSC, Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah said there are limitations in the Legislative Instrument that established them, hence the need for the change. She stated that the commission lacked the powers to sanction stakeholders for dereliction of duty. Currently, “if stakeholders refuse to take our recommendations, nothing happens”, she said.
For instance, she added that if the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service receive a recommendation from the National Road Safety Commission to enforce traffic regulations and they don’t do it, the NRSC has no power to act and sanction them.
She explained that a legal backing would empower the regulator to demand compliance from stakeholders, such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police, and in default, apply sanctions.
She was optimistic that when transformed into a regulator and given the needed resources, the increasing spate of road accidents would be brought under control. Mrs Obiri-Yeboah explained that when granted a regulator status, it would deploy safety inspectors to help with compliance.
With a regulator status, she said, inspectors who identify rickety vehicles with road worthy certificates would inform the regulator to find out from DVLA how such vehicles obtained the certificates.
Findings of safety audits hardly addressed: She stated that NRSC conducts safety audits on the roads and make recommendations to the road agencies for redress, but such recommendations were hardly addressed.
She said the commission was worried about the situation, but under its current mandate, it cannot do much to change it. “For example, the commission is not happy about the unsafe situation on the George Walker Bush Highway, Pokuase, Amasaman and the Tetteh Quarshie-Madina-Adenta road, where pedestrians are always seen competing with speeding vehicular traffic and resulting in knockdowns and deaths.
“The commission conducted an inspection of the interchange at Suhum Junction a couple of weeks ago, and our observation is that there is a looming danger for pedestrians at both approaches to the interchange if facilities to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic are not put in place now before commissioning of the road. “These observations have been communicated to the Ghana Highway Authority to consider,” she said.
180 Killed in January 2018: The rate of accidents and the number of casualties have increased in January 2018, compared to the same period last year.
The number of people killed in January this year has risen to 180, as against the 163 killed in January 2017, representing 10.43% increase.
Gender of person killed: The fatalities comprised 131 males and 49 females.
2,076 Die in road accidents in 2017
A total of 2,076 people died in road traffic accidents in 2017.
This is eight people less than the 2,084 people killed in 2016.
514 Females killed in 2017 A total of 514 females, comprising 379 above 18 years and 135 below 18 years, were killed in 2017.
1,562 Males killed in 2017 Similarly, 1,562 males, made up of 1,369 persons above 18 years and 193 people below 18 years, also perished last year.
879 Pedestrians killed in 2017 Out of the 3,300 pedestrian knockdowns last year, 879 were killed while 2,421 survived their injuries.
12,166 Travellers injured According to the data, 12,166 travellers were injured in 2017, compared to 12,522 in 2016. 20,444 Vehicles involved in accidents The data puts the total number of motor vehicles involved in accidents in 2017 at 20,444.
Types of motor vehicles involved The breakdown of category of motor vehicles involved is 8,080 commercial vehicles, 8,877 private vehicles, and 3,487 motorcycles.
Eastern Region tops regional breakdown of deaths The regional breakdown of persons killed from highest to lowest is Eastern – 374; Ashanti – 335; Accra – 296; Brong Ahafo – 253; Central – 193; Northern – 136; Tema – 125; Western – 125; Volta – 120; Upper West – 61; and Upper East – 58.
Breakdown of pedestrian knockdowns The regional breakdown of pedestrian knockdowns is Accra – 1,196; Tema – 200; Eastern – 404; Central – 307; Western – 161; Ashanti – 652; Volta – 150; Northern – 47; Upper West – 16; Upper East – 29; and Brong Ahafo – 138.
Regional breakdown of pedestrians killed For the regional breakdown of pedestrians killed, the figures are Accra – 238; Tema – 61; Eastern – 131; Central – 91; Western – 57; Ashanti – 129; Volta – 49; Northern – 37; Upper West – eight; Upper East – 12; and Brong Ahafo – 66.
Breakdown of pedestrian deaths For the regional breakdown of pedestrians killed, the figures are Accra – 238; Tema – 61; Eastern – 131; Central – 91; Western – 57; Ashanti – 129; Volta – 49; Northern – 37; Upper West – eight; Upper East – 12; and Brong Ahafo – 66.
Accra tops accidents On regional breakdown of motor vehicle accidents, the figures are Accra – 8,893; Ashanti – 3,551; Eastern – 1,724; Tema – 1,510; Central – 1,422; Volta – 823; Western – 781; Brong Ahafo – 722; Northern – 467; Upper East – 330; and Upper West – 221.
3 police officers die in collision with horse en route to Ngcobo
28th February 2018 Amanda Khoza
Multiple crashes involving a bakkie, bus and truck on Lavender Road near Erica Road in the Bon Accord
Shortly before 6 am this morning 26th February 2018, Netcare 911 responded to multiple crashes involving a bakkie, bus and truck on Lavender Road near Erica Road in the Bon Accord area.
It is alleged that the truck swerved in front of the bus and bakkie before the collision occurred. 11 people injured, 2 of them in a serious condition. All patients were treated and stabilised before transported to various hospitals for further treatment by multiple emergency services.
Scores injured in taxi crash on the N3 Pietermaritzburg Bound near Key Ridge
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Scores of people have been injured after a Taxi and a Truck collided on the N3 Pietermaritzburg Bound near Key Ridge just after 4:30pm this afternoon.
Rescue Care and Meditech Paramedics arrived on the scene to find that a Taxi and a Truck had collided in the left two lanes of the national freeway. Approximately sixteen people had sustained various injuries and immediately more ambulances were dispatched to assist. The passengers had sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious injuries and were stabilised on the scene before being transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.
At least fourteen injured in collision on the N3 west near Keyridge, Pietermaritzburg
At least fourteen people were injured in a collision between a taxi and a truck on the N3 west near Keyridge, Pietermaritzburg this afternoon.
Shortly after 4.30pm, paramedics from ER24 and local EMS arrived on scene where they found the taxi still wedged against the front of the truck. Several occupants from the taxi were found outside near the vehicle. It is unclear if they were ejected and if they were assisted out of the vehicle.
One person was found with serious injuries. His injuries ranged from multiple fractures to lacerations. The remainder of the occupants were treated for various injuries ranging from lacerations to soft tissue injuries.
The exact circumstances surrounding the collision is not yet known. Local authorities attended the scene.
Two killed, one critical after truck and two cars collide on the R71 in Magoebaskloof
Two men were killed and one man is in a critical condition after a truck and two cars collided on the R71 in Magoebaskloof last night.
At approximately 19h00, ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene and found that the two men were showing no signs of life. There was unfortunately nothing paramedics could do to save them and they were declared dead on the scene.
Another man was in a critical condition and he was transported to Van Velden Hospital for further medical care.
A man who sustained moderate injuries in the collision was treated and transported to a nearby hospital by other emergency services on scene.
The exact circumstances surrounding the incident were not yet known to our paramedics but police were on the scene for further investigations.
Annine Siddall ER24 Spokesperson
Driver Critically Injured In Collision in Verulam, KZN
on:
A 32-year-old man was critically injured and three other people suffered moderate injuries following a collision at the corner of Cotoonwood and Inanda Road in Trenance Park – Verulam.
At approximately 13:10 members of Reaction Unit South Africa was called out to the scene by passing motorists and residents in the area reporting the collision. Upon arrival the driver of an Isuzu bakkie was found lying face down on the ground.
He had suffered life-threatening injuries after his bakkie collided into a Toyota Hiace taxi and overturned multiple times. The three occupants of the Isuzu bakkie were ejected from the vehicle. Medics stabilised the injured on scene before transporting them to hospital.
It is alleged that the bakkie was travelling in the direction of Verulam when the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided into a taxi that was traveling in the opposite direction.
A passenger in the taxi suffered minor injuries and was also transported to hospital.
Egypt: bus accident leaves 8 killed, 22 wounded
26th February 2018
(MENAFN) A bus carrying workers has overturned and burst into flames in the coastal city of Alexandria, killing at least eight people.
The state-run MENA, quoting an unnamed Interior Ministry official, said Saturday that civil protection forces extinguished the fire which also injured 22 others.
It’s not clear how many passengers were on board but officials said the bus is owned by a private porcelain company. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident took place as the bus driver was trying to avoid hitting into another vehicle, the official told MENA.
Egypt suffers a high rate of traffic accidents that kill thousands of people every year due to lack of highway monitoring systems, inadequate road maintenance and negligence of traffic rules.
In 2016, some 14,000 traffic accidents killed over 5,300 people and injured more than 18,600 others, according to a report from the country’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).
The CAPMAS report said that Egypt’s road accidents declined by 17.8 percent and casualties decreased by 26.8 percent in the first half of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.
It pointed out that “human error” is responsible for 78.9 percent of road accidents in Egypt, while 13.8 of them are caused by vehicle technical problems and 5.6 percent are due to external factors including bad weather and poor road lights
One student killed, 19 others injured in school bus accident
Author: Linda Shiundu
One student was killed while 19 other sustained injuries in a road accident at Kombwea in Kisumu county – The students from Rapogi Mixed Secondary School were from a sports event in a neighbouring school when the accident happened
The bus is reported to have veered off the road when the driver was trying to avoid hitting another vehicle One student from Rapogi mixed secondary school died while 19 others sustained injured in a road accident along Bondo- Kisumu road at Kombewa on Friday, February 23 .
TUKO.co.ke understands the accident occurred near Seme Deputy County Commissioner’s office when the students were on their way from a sports event at a neighbouring school in Kombewa.
It is alleged that the bus was ferrying 50 students from Rapogi and Ngutu Secondary schools. The DCC, Andrew Naibei said the school bus overturned and rolled as the driver tried to avoid ramming into a Public Service Vehicle (PSV). According to the traffic boss, twelve students suffered serious injuries while seven sustained minor injuries
Kisumu county Governor, Anyang’ Nyong’o visiting students admitted followinng the accident. Photo: The star
The injured students were rushed to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital for specialised treatment hours after being admitted at Kombewa District Hospital. The driver of the school bus is said to have fled off. Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o, accompanied by Seme MP James Nyikal, MCAs Sally Okudo (Central Seme) and Peter Abaja (North Seme),visited those admitted on Saturday, February 24 and asked police to investigate the cause of the accident.
“It is unfortunate and painful that we lost one of them,” he said. “My government will support the families of the victims.” He commended county staff on quickly taking the students to hospital and asked school heads to ensure drivers are well-trained so learners are safe on roads.
Cyclist killed in hit and run ahead of Krugersdorp race
2018-02-25 Jenni Evans
Cape Town – well known rugby operations manager and cyclist Nino Oppel was killed in an apparent hit and run ahead of the Berge en Dale cycling race outside Krugersdorp on Saturday, a statement on behalf of the organisers said.
“In a tragic incident, before the start of the race this morning, 41-year-old Nino Oppel of Johannesburg was struck from behind by an unidentified vehicle,” the statement said.
The accident occurred as he was heading to the start of the 107km event at the Cradlestone Mall from Pinehaven towards Roodepoort. “The vehicle did not stop,” the statement said.
Comment from the police was not immediately available on whether the motorist had been apprehended.
ASG Events race director Darren Herbst sent their condolences to the family.
Drunk Driver Adjusts Seat, Sleeps Off After Accident, Friend Flees!
By Published on
Few weeks ago, two friends who were driving through Awolowo in Front of Alausa Secretariat, Lagos, very early on Saturday from Fela Shrine, had an accident.
Their vehicle left its lane, crossed the median to the other lane only to be stopped by a kerb. While the driver, after the accident, adjusted his seat and slept off, his friend in the passenger’s seat tried to escape the scene.
He was, however, chased and arrested by RRS officers stationed close to the accident point.
Ghana: Benz bus collides with tipper truck
A Mercedes Benz bus carrying some passengers has been involved in an accident at Atinga Junction, Ahodwo, in Kumasi in the Ashanti region.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday, 23 February 2018 after the bus collided with a tipper truck. Reports indicate that, all the passengers in the sprinter bus escaped unhurt.
However, the driver of the tipper truck and his mate were trapped in the truck after it somersaulted. The Police were at the scene to control traffic and to help in rescue efforts.
Three die in road accident at Magina along Nakuru-Nairobi highway
By George Njunge 
Members of public view the wreckage of a Probox that was involved in an accident killing three people at Magina along Nakuru-Nairobi highway [George Njunge Standard]
Three passengers died on the spot after a probox they were travelling in was involved in an accident along Nakuru-Nairobi Highway a few Kilometers from Kimende town. The three, all ladies succumbed to injuries after a head on collision with a Matatu that was travelling to Nairobi in the 8 Pm incident.
Confirming the incident, Lari traffic base commander Bernard Indeke, said that a man identified as Jesse Kamau was driving a motor vehicle registration number KBS 892 A Toyota Probox carrying family members from Nairobi and heading towards Naivasha and on reaching Magina the said driver improperly overtook another vehicle and collided head on with an oncoming Matatu from Nyena SAACO.
“As a result of the said improper overtaking the probox lost control veered off the road rolled …three passengers died on the spot,” Indeche said. He added that motorist should be extra cautious on the stretch which is ordinarily dangerous to overtake especially at night. The injured were rushed to Kijabe mission hospital while the dead were taken to Uplands funeral home pending postmortem.
Popular Kwekwe gold dealer killed
A POPULAR gold dealer from Kwekwe died on the spot while three others were seriously injured on Wednesday when a car they were travelling in hit a cow and veered off the road before overturning along the Kwekwe-Gweru highway.
Mr Talent Mapanga died on the spot while his young brother Langelihle, their friends Ms Anna Manamana and Mr Arthur Zakeo who was driving the vehicle, were injured. Another passenger, only identified as Ashley escaped unhurt. The five socialites were travelling to Kwekwe from Redcliff where they had attended Manamana’s birthday party.
Mr Mapanga’s brother, Mr Munashe Mapanga said the accident happened in the wee hours of Wednesday. He said his brothers and their friends were coming from a birthday party in Redcliff town.
“As they approached the 10km peg, the vehicle ahead of them reduced speed to avoid a cow but their driver instead overtook the vehicle and then hit the cow,” he said. Mr Mapanga said after hitting the cow, the vehicle veered off the road, overturned and in the process Talent was thrown out through the window and he died on the spot.
Bus Conductor Killed In Auto Crash On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Bus Conductor Killed In Auto Crash On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
One person has been confirmed dead and two others severely injuried in an accident that occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) confirmed that the accident happened at about 8.02 a.m. on Wednesday. The Public Relations Officer of TRACE, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, disclosed this to News Agebcy of Nigeria in Ota near Abeokuta that the accident happened in front of ASCON Filling Station.
Akinbiyi said that two vehicles and 12 people were involved in the accident. He said that a commercial bus with registration number KTU 449 XU was trying to overtake a Honda Civic car with registration number EKY-65 EQ but had a tyre burst and rammed into the Honda car. He said that the conductor of the bus hit his head against a metal in the bus, resulting to his death.
“The corpse has been deposited at the mortuary of the Divine Hospital at Ibafo in Ogun, while the injured persons are also receiving intensive treatment at the same hospital.”
Akinbiyi further advised motorists to be cautious and to desist from over-speeding to ensure safety of lives and property on the roads.
Two taxis collide leaving ten injured on the R28 between Westonaria and Poortjie
23 February 2018 | From Arrive Alive
16 Injured in taxi crash on the N3 Pinetown Bound near Berea Road offramp
19 February 2018 | From Arrive Alive.jpg)
Sixteen people have been injured after a Taxi and a vehicle collided on the N3 Pinetown Bound near Berea Road offramp on Saturday morning just after 11am.
Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find chaos. A Taxi and a vehicle had collided before the taxi had overturned coming to rest on its roof. A total of sixteen people had sustained various injuries ranging from minor to moderate. Immediately more ambulances were dispatched to assist with the multiple casualties on the scene. Once all the injured had been stabilised on the scene they were transported to various Durban Hospitals for the further care that they required.
2 Killed in horrific crash on the M4 North near Glen Ashley offramp
19 February 2018 | From Arrive Alive 
Two people have been killed in a horrific single vehicle accident on the M4 North near Glen Ashley offramp on Sunday evening just before 11pm.
‘Cheating’ MSU lecturer in fatal accident
A married lecturer at the Midlands State University in Gweru died on the spot while his girlfriend, who is a student at the institution, was injured after a vehicle they were travelling in overturned. The accident occurred on Friday at around 10PM at the 290km peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge highway.
The love birds were allegedly travelling from South Africa with two passengers they had offered a lift in the neighbouring country.
Justice Mapfumbate of Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo died on the spot while his girlfriend (name withheld) from Nkulumane suburb, who was driving the lecturer’s Toyota Prado, was injured.
Mapfumbate’s girlfriend and two other passengers who were also injured were rushed to Beitbridge District Hospital where they are still detained.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the accident.
“We received a report of a motor vehicle which overturned at the 290km peg along the Bulawayo- Beitbridge Road. There were four people on board and one passenger died on the spot. Three others were injured,” he said.“We urge members of the public to desist from driving at night. People must park and rest when fatigued to avoid accidents.”
A source who preferred anonymity said the lecturer and the student had been in love for some time. The female student is said to have previously clashed with Mapfumbate’s wife.
“The lecturer’s wife communicated with her several times, begging her to leave her husband alone. She pleaded with her on many occasions to end the affair but the woman never backed off. Because the Lord has his own plans always, the lovebirds have been separated by death and we wonder how the wife will take it,” said a source.
Bus firm ordered to pay accident victim’s wife $60k compensation
THE High Court has ordered a luxury bus company Pathfinder to pay $60 000 compensation to a woman who lost her husband in an accident which occurred along Harare-Bulawayo highway near Shangani in 2013.
Chris Kasvosve died after sustaining injuries when the bus that was travelling from Harare to Bulawayo was involved in a head on collision with a haulage truck on December 7 in 2013 at Lochard.
The driver of the bus, Mr Bekithemba Masuku, hit a cow and encroached onto the lane of the oncoming truck resulting in the collision which killed nine people.
Professor Lovemore Madhuku of Mundla and Mudhara Legal Practitioners confirmed that his client Mrs Shamiso Kasvosve won the case at the Harare High court in connection with the Lochard accident. The ruling by Harare High Court judge Justice Happious Zhou followed an application by Mrs Kasvosve demanding $60 000 from Mr Masuku and Pathfinder Luxury Coaches who were cited as first and second defendants.
Justice Zhou ordered the defendants to pay Mrs Kasvosve $60 000. “In all the circumstances, the evidence shows that the first defendant negligently caused the accident by failing to keep a proper look out, failing to act reasonably to stop the bus and by swerving on the right lane thereby encroaching on the way of oncoming traffic. The negligence caused the death of the plaintiff’s husband. Defendants shall pay plaintiff $60 000,”Justice Zhou said.
The woman claimed $60 000 as payment for funeral expenses incurred and loss of support for her and the couple’s three children after her husband’s death. In her declaration, the plaintiff said the death had resulted in loss of companionship, shock, emotional trauma, pain and loss of parental care.
The driver had testified that he had been travelling at a speed of 60km/hour when he saw a cow on the road. He said he tried to apply brakes but still hit the cow and failed to control the bus leading to a collision with an oncoming lorry.
Jefter Gwainda, an Assistant police Inspector, said the collision took place on the side of the lorry which meant that the bus encroached on the side of the oncoming traffic. Asst Insp Gwainda said the accident could have been avoided if Masuku had reduced speed. He said he observed that there was no sign of hard breaking to show that defendant had applied brakes. Bus accident victims in the country have been turning to the courts for recompense with increasing success.
In November last year, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi ordered Mzansi Express bus company to pay a Bulawayo woman R12 000 and $8 822 as compensation for injuries sustained in an accident that occurred along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge road in 2014.
In December, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha also ordered P & H Investments to pay $60 000 in damages to the family of a Gwanda teacher who was killed in an accident along the Gwanda-Bulawayo road in 2010.
Boda boda rider, passenger killed in hit-and-run accident at Kikuyu
Breakdown teams take away a motorcycle which was involved in an accident at Acre Tano, Kikuyu February 17, 2018. /GEORGE MUGO
Police in Kikuyu are looking for the driver of a vehicle which hit a boda boda rider and his passenger at Acre Tano area on Nairobi-Nakuru highway on Saturday. Area police boss Eunia Wako said the pillion passenger was a matatu driver who was heading to work at the time of the accident.
“The rider and his pillion passenger were heading towards Nairobi when an unknown vehicle is suspected to have hit them from behind. They died on the spot.”
Simon Kamau, a witness, said he heard a loud bang only to learn after some minutes that one of them had been hit by a vehicle.
“We didn’t think of it as a serious accident since traffic kept flowing on both sides of the road,” Kamau said. Kamau said one body was run on by other vehicles, while the other one lay at the roadside after the motorcycle landed in a ditch.
Wako urged the boda boda riders to be extra careful while using the highway so as to avoid accidents. The riders urged other motorists to respect them as road users.
Ghanaians Worried As Road Accidents Continue To Claim Lives
Daily Guide 17th February 2018
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Madam Joyce Frimpong, a teacher, said the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service should sanction drivers who make and receive telephone calls while driving as it has been identified as a major cause of accidents in the country.
She noted, “Currently, road accidents have become the leading cause of death. The government and the NRSC should make sure drivers comply with the law in order to minimise road accidents.”
Joseph Boakye, a contractor, said, “Construction and infrastructural projects should be awarded to qualified engineers in order to save lives and enhance the economic growth of the country.”
Mr Boakye stressed that the Eastern corridor road has also become a major death trap, “because those who die on that road are not public figures, no one hears of it, which is bad.”
In an interview with the GNA, Madam Grace Addo said bad construction practices in the country have resulted in high accident rates as most of the contractors do not evacuate their machinery immediately after completion of work.
Isaac Baah, an engineer, stressed that there are a lot of roads that were awarded to various contractors over the past five years, but had not been done and thereby creating problems for road users.
Nana Ama, a student of the University of Education Winneba, said, “The question I always ask is, should we wait for people to die before the contractors patch up the roads? Or should people die before politicians start to pay tribute to them?” She urged the NRSC to come out and educate drivers on the causes of accident.
A teacher by name Belinda Appiah, pointed out, “Our roads are full of potholes, while others have heaped sand on the edges of the roads.”
IN PICTURES: Machakos accident
The wreckage of the 14-seater matatu is towed away on Thursday. Photo/ BOB ODALO
The accident scene along the Machakos-Nairobi highway where at least 8 people were killed on Thursday.
Limpopo police officer dies in road accident after Nyala gets a puncture
17th February 2018 Christina Pitt
(Picture: Supplied, file)Namibian road accidents show decrease
Windhoek-Namibian motorists are seemingly becoming more aware of the importance of arriving alive as road accidents have decreased, which has resulted in a five percent reduction in the number of deaths on local roads. The latest statistics from the Festive Season Crime Prevention and Road Safety Operations campaign indicate that 127 people lost their lives the past festive season compared to 134 people who died during the same period during 2016/2017.
The statistics revealed 528 road crashes and 965 injuries for the past festive season, which indicate a reduction from the 645 crashes and 1,292 injuries recorded during the 2016/2017 festive season. “The reduction in road crashes is evidence that the compliance rate by motorists is really changing to a more positive mode,” stated Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, who is the head of the Namibian Police Force (Nampol).
In a press statement, Ndeitunga indicated that all regions experienced a decrease not only in road accidents but also the number of criminal offences registered with Nampol compared to previous years. “The road crashes decreased by 18%, Injuries decreased by 25% and fatalities decreased by 5% and this was our biggest achievement, although it is below my expectation given the effort we put in,” said Ndeitunga.
He noted that the reduction may be attributed to the high visibility of traffic officers and highway patrols on the main roads, especially on the B1 and B2. “We have increased our visibility in all areas, be it on national roads, in residential areas, shopping malls, and we are working tirelessly to ensure a peaceful and safe environment for all people in Namibia,” noted Ndeitunga.
Trailer kills 4, damages 5 vehicles in Jos
16th February 2018
A trailer conveying diesel on Wednesday killed four persons and destroyed five vehicles at Mararaba Jama’a in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau.
Plateau Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Terna Tyopev, who confirmed the incident to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Thursday, said the accident occurred on Wednesday night.
NAN reports that Mararaba Jama’a is a busy spot with a large roundabout that links Jos to other parts of the state. Tyopev said the trailer had break failure making the driver to lose control and the heavily loaded vehicle ran into five smaller vehicles at the scene.
He explained that two persons died on the spot, while two others rushed to hospital were later confirmed dead. “A trailer carrying diesel to Bauchi ran into five vehicles and killed four persons at Mararaba Jama’a.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the break of the vehicle failed and the driver who is alone in the vehicle lost control of it. “It ran into five other vehicles parked within the vicinity. “Two persons died on the spot and the two injured later died while receiving treatment at the hospital,” he said.
The police spokesperson said that the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the mortuary in Ola Hospital, Zawan.
Five killed 11 injured in crash with DR Congo presidential motorcade
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 15 2018 
DR Congo President Joseph Kabila who reportedly stayed to help the injured. FILE PHOTO | AFP
By AFP KINSHASA: Three soldiers and two civilians were killed and 11 other people injured in an accident involving DR Congo President Joseph Kabila’s motorcade, his office said Wednesday. The accident happened on a road in the southwest of the country, 220 kilometres south of Kinshasa, as Kabila was returning to the capital on Tuesday.
“Last night, a vehicle in the presidential motorcade was hit on the Matadi highway at Kimpese by a truck carrying cement,” communications official Yvon Ramazani told AFP on Wednesday. “Three soldiers in the Republican Guard were killed along with two civilians who were nearby,” he said. Seven soldiers and four civilians were also injured, Ramazani said, adding that the accident had been caused by heavy rain.
Kabila “stayed on the site until the emergency services arrived, and personally supervised the ambulance evacuation of dead and injured,” he said. The Republic Guard is an elite force tasked with the protection of the president. Kabila was returning from a stay in the sea port of Matadi.
Roads in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a sprawling, poverty-stricken country, are notorious for accidents. Poor road surfaces, overladen vehicles and excessive speed are often the causes of mishaps.
Kabila on Wednesday was to meet in Kinshasa with the presidents of the neighbouring Republic of Congo and Angola, Denis Sassou Nguesso and Joao Lourenco, for a tripartite meeting.
Last moment of 20 Bauchi students killed in car crash
By Balarabe Alkassim (Bauchi) & Aliyu Hamagam (Dutse) | Publish Date: Feb 15 2018
A tragic car accident has claimed 23 lives that included 20 students and two teachers of Government Day Secondary School Misau, in Bauchi State.
The driver of the commercial vehicle also died.
The accident occurred Tuesday at Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State when the vehicle conveying the students who were on their way to an excursion had a head-on collision with a truck.
Findings at the school by our reporter yesterday revealed that the students who died belonged to different classes and were members of the Hausa Fusaha Club of the school.
Last moment of the students: Speaking to our reporter in Misau, a parent of one of the deceased, Mallam Haruna Dankasa described the death of the students as tragic.
Dankasa whose son, Mohammed Haruna Ahmed, died said that his son asked him to pray for him when he wanted to leave for the journey and that was the last time he s
aw his son alive.
22 children dead in horror Nigeria bus crash
Kano, Nigeria: Twenty-two students and their driver were Tuesday killed when their bus collided with a truck in northern Nigeria, a road safety official told AFP.The students from a public secondary school in Bauchi state were on their way to the city of Kano for an excursion when their driver lost control while trying to dodge a pothole, Kabiru Daura, spokesman for the federal road safety corps (FRSC) in Kano said.
“Twenty-two students died in the crash along with their driver while three others were seriously injured,” Daura said on the accident which occurred in Gaya town, 50 kilometres outside Kano.
“The driver lost control and had a head-on collision with a truck,” Daura said.
Crashes are common on Nigeria’s poorly maintained roads due largely to speeding, reckless driving and overloading.
Taifa Junction road crash leaves 6 dead, scores injured
Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Date: 14-02-2018
Six passengers are feared dead with scores injured after a Sprinter bus lost control and crashed into a concrete at Taifa Junction in Accra, Tuesday.
Some passengers were reportedly trapped in the bus for a while but personnel from the Ghana Fire Service and Police Motor and Traffic Department (MTTD) arrived promptly at the scene and cut through the mangled vehicle to free them.
It is not yet clear what caused the Sprinter travelling to Accra from Ofankor to lose control, however, Myjoyonline.com’s Jerry Tsatro-Mordy, who had been at the scene of the accident suspects the 23-seater vehicle may have burst a tyre.
– Emergency service workers struggled to free trapped passengers, reports indicate. Deceased passengers have been censored.
The deceased have been conveyed to the mortuary, police confirm.
Meanwhile, Adom News’ Joshua Kulenu reported that the driver of the Sprinter bus sustained a severe head injury and an ambulance was at the scene to convey the injured to the hospital. “A passenger who spoke to Kulenu said the driver was on the phone when the incident occurred,” according to a different account of the incident published on Adomonline.com
Reports indicate that there is chaos on the road close to Taifa Junction on the Ofankor-Achimota stretch.
Seven killed after car overturns in Kisii
February 14th 2018 By MAGATI OBEBO More by this Author
Seven people, including two pedestrians, were killed Tuesday evening after a Probox car overturned and landed into ditch in Keroka, Kisii.
The people riding in the car were returning from a burial ceremony in Riasena.
Police said the car brake failed as the driver descended a steep slope along the Nyangusu- Keroka highway.
Keroka police boss Phillip Wambugu said two other people are fighting for their lives at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.
A church elder and a primary school teacher are among those whore were killed in the crash.
Increasing co-operation & synergy in road safety with young traffic officers
13 February 2018 – 07:00
5 perish in accidents
Five people, including a three-year-old girl, died on the spot in two separate road accidents in Masvingo over the weekend, police have said. Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said the two accidents occurred on Saturday and Sunday around 2pm and 4am, respectively.
The accidents took place at 50km peg along Masvingo-Mbalabala Road and at the 145km peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
Inspector Mazula identified the deceased as Clever Gomba (43), Spencer Gomba (28) and Farai Chimbvere (21) of Chimbvere Village under Chief Madamombe in Chivi, Jimu Undapeyi (24) and Abigail Mabika (3) of Masendu Village under Chief Gumira in Chipinge.
Bodies of the deceased were taken to Neshuro District Hospital mortuary in Mwenezi and Masvingo General Hospital mortuary for post-mortem. The injured were rushed to the same hospitals where one of the victims’ condition was said to be critical. The rest were said to be stable.
In the first accident, Gomba was driving a Toyota Wish towards Masvingo with five passengers on board. Inspector Mazula said at the 50km peg, Gomba lost control of the vehicle and it veered off the road to the right. He managed to pull the vehicle back into his lane, but it overturned once and landed on its wheels on the left side of the road, killing him and three passengers on the spot. The other two passengers were injured.
In the second accident, a Ford Ranger double cab that was being driven by Mabika and traveling from Masvingo towards Beitbridge encroached into the lane of a Harare-bound bus belonging to Jarax Transport.
The vehicle rammed into the bus’ trailer killing two passengers, including a three-year-old girl, on the spot. The bus driver sustained injuries after the bus with 29 passengers on board swerved to the left side of the road and stopped.
None of 29 passengers of the bus was injured.
Car accident killed 4 in Central Ethiopia
12th February 2018
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) — A car accident in Ethiopia’s central Oromia regional state has killed four people, a regional official said on Sunday.
Aschalew Alemu, Public Relations Chief at East Shoa zone police department, Oromia, said the accident happened when a passenger minibus traveling on the road Saturday evening had its tires burst causing the vehicle to slam into an electric pole, reported state owned Ethiopian News Agency.
He added seven people who sustained light and heavy injuries have been taken to nearby health stations for treatment.
Alemu cautioned drivers to avoid speeding and follow traffic rules when their vehicles are on the road.
Despite having one of the lowest per capita car ownership in the world, deadly traffic accidents in Ethiopia are common with blames put on bad roads, flawed driving license issuance system and lax enforcement of road safety.
Traffic accidents during the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2016/17 that ended on July 8 have led to the deaths of 4,500 people, according to Ethiopia Federal Transport Authority.
Nigeria: Ex-Senator John Shagaya Dies in Road Accident
12th February 2018 By Andrew Ajijah 
A former senator, John Shagaya, was on Sunday afternoon involved in a ghastly car crash.
He died from the accident, an official confirmed.
Dan Dandur, a former chairman, Langtang North Local Government in Plateau, confirmed the death to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Mr. Shagaya, a retired army general, was said to have been returning from his country home in Langtang on his way to Jos when the accident occurred.
Fuel Tanker Blocked Part Of Tema Motorway
12th February 2018
A 27,000-litre-capacity tanker fully loaded with fuel, has blocked a portion of the Tema bound stretch of the Tema Motorway in Accra.
The tanker belonging to Benab oil, with registration number AW 7138-12, had some of its content spilling after it veered off the road.
Reports indicate that, the tanker was traveling from Tema to Accra when incident occurred on Friday afternoon.
Citi News‘ Tema Correspondent, Elvis Washington, reported that the accident happened near the overhead bridge that connects to the Adjei Kojo township.
He said there is a team of police personnel and officers from the fire service at the scene trying to clear the area.
“As we speak, traffic is actually heavy on the motorway with no vehicle coming from the Accra to Tema stretch. Traffic on the opposite side is also moving at a snail pace,” he added.
Speaking to Elvis Washington, Chairman of the Tanker Drivers Union, Sunday Alabi, said the driver of the said tanker told them that his steer was automatically locked thus making driving of the vehicle difficult.
“In the process, the vehicle skidded off, turned into the Tema bound lane. One of the [2] mates sustained injuries and has been rushed to the hospital. We are waiting for another tanker so we offload the content into it so that we can lift the truck from the road.”
He added that, the driver and one of the mates are safe.
TEENS DIE IN ROAD CRASH MOMENTS AFTER UPLOADING VIDEO ON FACEBOOK – VIDEO
Posted on Feb 11, 2018
The wreckage of the vehicle at the scene of the accident. PHOTO | COURTESYBy NAHASHON MUSUNGU Four teenagers died in a road accident in Uganda on Friday, moments after filming themselves on a road trip and uploading the video on social media.
Ugandan police have confirmed the incident involving the four, who were students at Ndejje Senior Secondary School. The accident occurred at Bajjo village along the Kampala-Gulu highway after their vehicle – registration number UAR 860W – rammed into a stationery truck.
It has been reported that the deceased, who sat their national exams last November, were headed to school collect their results which were released by UNEB on February 7, 2018.
INSTANT DEATH “We received the sad news with shock. We are trying to get in touch with the relatives and the police on what happened,” Dr Charles Kahigiriza, the school head teacher told the local media.
Charles Ssebambulidde, the Public Relations Officer at the Traffic Directorate in Kampala, identified the deceased as Vincent Male, Mark Ndugga and Isaac Sserwanja. Their vehicle rammed into a stationery tipper registration number UAY 946F.
“Three students died on the spot while their colleagues identified as Timothy Nyogera was taken to Bombo military Hospital in critical condition. The preliminary investigation report points to speeding,” Ssebambulidde said.
Reports from the school indicate that Njogera later died in hospital.
Over Five Thousand Young Students Died Of Traffic Accidents In Ethiopia
In a panel discussion held in Addis police reported over five thousand young students died on their way to school in a traffic accident.
According to police 5 thousand 604 young students have died from 2005 EC to 2009 EC.
Ethiopia road Transport authority indicated that making awareness and engaging young students by formulating traffic clubs in school is vital at this point.
Ministry of Education in its part stated that out of 38 thousand schools in the city only over 16 thousand 17 schools have traffic clubs. The Ministry noted that more clubs have to be established for the awareness creation on traffic accidents.
Two die in motorcycle crash in Gatundu
By NGANGA THAIRU
Two people who were traveling on a motorcycle died on Friday night after they collided with oncoming pick up. One of them died on the spot while the other succumbed while undergoing treatment at Gatundu Level 4 hospital.
A third passenger is still admitted in serious condition. The 11 pm accident occurred along the Kiganjo Mundoro road.
The driver of the pickup escaped after the accident and police are yet to arrest him.
The two bodies are lying at Gatundu level 4 hospital mortuary.
Family of three killed after trailer crashes into houses
FEBRUARY 10 2018
The shell of a trailer that rammed into houses at Kwa Mungania along the Subuiga-Isiolo road killing four
Buuri OCPD David Muange said the trailer veered off the Subuiga-Isiolo road at Kwa Mungania area ramming into six houses killing a man, a woman and their child. Three people were injured and the driver of the trailer was killed during the Friday 7am crash.
Mr Muange said the three survivors, two who were in the trailer and a resident, were recuperating at St Theresa’s Kirua Mission Hospital. He said the the four bodies were taken to Isiolo Level 5 Hospital mortuary.
The trailer was ferrying fertilizer from Mombasa to Isiolo. “It seems the driver was very exhausted,” Mr Muange said.
Four killed as truck hits bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Four persons were confirmed dead while two others sustained injuries in an auto crash which occurred on the Kara bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday. Babatunde Akinbiyi, the spokesman of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta.
Mr. Akinbiyi said the accident involved a Sino truck carrying a container and an Urvan commercial bus. He said the truck with registration number KMC 47 ZB was travelling to Lagos and was said to have hit the commercial bus from behind, forcing it off the road and landing close to the river under the Kara bridge.
Mr. Akinbiyi blamed the driver of the truck for speeding resulting in his loss of control of the vehicle. “The accident occurred around 10.50am on Kara bridge. A Sino truck hit an Urvan commercial bus from behind and it fell off the bridge, landing at a point close to the river under the bridge.
“Six passengers were inside the bus, two females and four males. Two females and two males died among the passengers, while the remaining two were injured,” he said. He said the corpses of the victims had been deposited at the mortuary in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, while the injured were rushed to the Lagos State Emergency Hospital.
The truck driver and his assistant were said to have been arrested and held in custody at the Ojodu-Abiodun Police Station.
Boda bodas will not use Kampala-Entebbe Express way, says government
By CHRISTOPHER KISEKKA & AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA 9th February 2018
Under construction. Part of the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway. Uganda National Roads Authority says they will not allow motorcyclists and riders to use the road. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
Kampala. Boda- boda riders will not be allowed to use the newly constructed Kampala-Entebbe Expressway when it is officially opened mid this year, officials have revealed.
Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) media relations manager, said since the road is a high-speed expressway, it would be dangerous to allow boda boda riders and other motorcyclists to access it.
“That road was designed for high speed traffic, with restricted entry and exit points, so we cannot make a mistake of allowing motorcyclists,” Mr Ssempebwa said during an interview on Wednesday. The 51.4 km highway connects Kampala city to Entebbe International Airport. The main section measuring 25 km running from Busega along the Kampala–Masaka highway through Kajjansi to Abayita Ababiri (Mpala) is a toll-section which will require users to pay a yet to be fixed levy . The road was constructed purposely to support the current Kampala-Entebbe highway which is laden with heavy traffic.
Upon completion, motorists from Kampala connecting to Entebbe using the high-speed expressway will only take between 30 to 40 minutes. Currently, motorists spend two to three hours while using the existing Kampala-Entebbe road due to traffic jams. Mr Ssempebwa revealed that the main section of Kampala-Entebbe expressway (Busega –Abayita Ababiri) is expected to be ready for public use by the end of March.
“Although the scheduled completion date of this road has been changing from time to time due to a number of challenges, the main section is ready,” he said. He added that once construction is complete, the contractor (China Communications Construction Company Ltd) will provide a schedule for hand over to Unra which will then initiate the process of opening it for public use.
Currently, Unra is in the process of procuring a toll operator as they work on a mechanism for tolling and billing considering affordability and users willingness to determine the actual cost to be charged from each vehicle. When asked whether Very Important Persons (VIPs) and government vehicles will also be charged for using the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, Mr Ssempebwa said Unra is yet to take a decision on the matter.
Ebony Reigns dies in fatal collision
Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | george.nyavor@myjoyonline.com
09-02-2018
According to police, the 20-year-old singer and two military officers were on board a Jeep with registration AS 497—16 from Sunyani heading towards Kumasi when it collided head-on with a VIP bus heading towards Sunyani from Kumasi.
The two military occupants also died later at the Bechem Government Hospital after they were rushed there DSP John Adusei, Mankraso District Commander, confirmed.
– Ebony Reigns was reportedly travelling in this mangled car
The driver of the VIP bus reportedly survived the accident but he is currently unconscious at the same hospital receiving treatment from doctors. The body of the Maame Hwԑ hit singer, and the unidentified military personnel were rushed to the Bechem Government Hospital after the accident but died shortly after. DSP Adusei has confirmed to Joy News that the bodies have been deposited at Mankraso Hospital Morgue in the Ashanti Region.
Barimaba Yusif, a journalist with a local radio station, After-2 FM, said on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM Friday the road on which the accident occurred was in a bad state. The journalist suspects that the driver of the Jeep in which Ebony was travelling had attempted to avoid running into a heap of sand that was being used for road construction but instead ran into the VIP bus travelling in the opposite direction.
Known in real life as Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, Ebony was widely known for her hit songs “Poison” and “Kupe”. She would have turned 21 on February 16.
Road accident: 3 killed, 7 injured in 24 hours
08 February 2018
ALGIERS- Three people lost their lives and seven others were injured in three road accidents across the country over the past 24 hours, said the Civil Protection in a report on Wednesday.
Egyptian sumo wrestler referred to prosecutors over car accident
8th February 2018
NAGANO. Police referred Egyptian sumo wrestler Osunaarashi to prosecutors on Wednesday for allegedly driving without a license when his car collided with another in central Japan last month. The 25-year-old had initially told police and the Japan Sumo Association that his wife was behind the wheel, but investigative sources said they have confirmed through security camera footage that he was the driver.
Following past traffic accidents involving wrestlers, the association bans sumo wrestlers from driving.
Osunaarashi, who competes in sumo’s second-tier juryo division, is suspected of hitting another vehicle on Jan 3 in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, while driving without possessing a valid license, according to the sources. The JSA announced his withdrawal from the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo after the incident and said the wrestler did not report the case right away to the association.
“It is a matter of regret that this incident has occurred. We will discuss how to handle this case after prosecutors conclude their investigation and make a decision,” the sport’s governing body said in a statement on Wednesday. Osunaarashi’s stablemaster Otake said he will wait for the JSA’s decision instead of handing in the wrestler’s resignation right away.
“I think he regrets it. I’ve told him one has to be humble climbing up the ladder, but he did not adequately grasp the meaning of that,” Otake said. “I’m sorry to all of his fans.” Osunaarashi, the first African-born sumo wrestler, made his elite makuuchi division debut in 2013 and reached No. 1 maegashira, the sport’s fifth-highest rank, in 2015.
Low manpower making Nigerian traffic management difficult – FRSC
The corps said the paucity of personnel accounted for increasing carnage on Nigerian roads since its men could not meet the global deployment standard in all highways where road users drive recklessly.
The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara States, Assistant Corps Marshall Amanche Nwaka, said this during a courtesy visit to Ado Ekiti on Wednesday. Nwaka applauded the inter-agency synergy between the FRSC and the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency (EKSTMA) saying this has brought about the improvement in traffic management in the state.
The Zonal Commander also lauded Governor Ayodele Fayose for placing high premium on rehabilitation of roads , describing huge investment in road infrastructure as a veritable weapon to curtail accidents and deaths on the roads. “The low manpower in FRSC is affecting our jobs. We have no enough men to deploy in the roads to control traffics and that was why we are encouraging the states to create their own traffic management agencies.
“We want to commend Ekiti for establishing EKSTMA, because it takes great political will to be able to set up such agency. “The first thing I noticed when I entered Ekiti was that the state has good road networks, they are motorable and this I think has been helping a lot. “I want to commend all the agencies for collaborating well. There shouldn’t be any rivalry because we are all contributing to national development”, she said.
The FRSC boss hinted that the FRSC would soon begin a proficiency training for all the commercial and drivers in the employ of the state civil service , where certificates will be issued certifying them fit for the job.
Special Assistant to the Governor on Environmental and Traffic Control in the State, Mr Afolabi Ariyo , described the FRSC as a blessing to Nigeria, saying its establishment in 1988 had reduced annual accidents from 25,792 to 9,694 in 2016.
Afolabi added that the infrastructural development being undertaken by Fayose makes it a matter of imperative for traffic managers to be alive to their responsibilities to prevent increasing accidents on the roads.
One teacher dead,several injured in school bus accident ferrying 61 on academic tour
7th February 2018
A secondary school teacher in Mt Elgon constituency died on Tuesday February 6 following a tragic road accident involving his school bus. Kiplimo Kimtai a boarding master at Cheptais High School sustained serious injuries and died while receiving treatment at Life care hospital in Bungoma town after the institution bus was involved in the 5:30am accident.
The bus which had 33 teachers, 24 students and 4 subordinate staff were involved in an accident at Ndakaru bridge in Sirisia constituency. Bungoma County director of education Jacob Onyiego and Cheptais Sub County deputy county commissioner Stephen Momanyi confirmed the death. Onyiego said 33 students, 24 students and 4 surbodinate staff were involved in an accident at Ndakaru bridge in Sirisia constituency. “They were on their way to Kapsabet for an academic trip when the accident took place at around 5:30am Tuesday morning,” said Momanyi.
The cause of the accident where the bus is seen lying on its side is yet to be established. “We are sad to have lost a dedicated teacher, the driver of the ill fated vehicle failed to negotiate a corner to avoid the head on collision with a motorbike rider leading the vehicle to roll several times,” said Onyiego. The injured teachers and students were treated at Bungoma County referral hospital, Bungoma West hospital in Kanduyi and Sirisia sub county hospital and some have been discharged while the body of the deceased has been preserved at Life care hospital formerly Lumboka Hospital mortuary.
Taxi rolls multiple times leaving eighteen injured off the R300 near the N2 turnoff in Mitchells Plain in the Western Cape
7th February 2018
Eighteen people were left injured this morning when a taxi rolled off the R300 near the N2 turnoff in Mitchells Plain in the Western Cape.
ER24 paramedics, along with Metro Rescue, arrived on the scene, finding a taxi on the side of the road on a small embankment. Several passengers from the taxi were found walking around on the scene while one was found lying trapped beneath the vehicle.
Metro Rescue services had to use specialized equipment to free the patient from beneath the vehicle. Once freed, paramedics assessed the patients and found that eighteen had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate. Fortunately, no fatalities were found at the scene.
The patients were treated for their injuries and were thereafter transported to various private and provincial hospitals for further care. The details surrounding this incident are not yet known but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.
Sad news: three Tanzanian sisters have had a car accident: Sister Barbra, American, has died in the accident; Sr. Rufina, from Madagascar, has suffered a severe blow and is hospitalized; and Sr. Estela — who had pronounced her first vows on December 26, 2017 — is also hospitalized.
It is, without doubt, a great test for the province of the Sisters.
Let’s pray for our Vincentian sisters. And to Sr. Barbara — as good as we remember her — may the Lord welcome her close to Him.
Source: Sister Clarina Molina DC
Info from several Vincentian Facebook pages.
Ghana: 15 killed in road carnage at Anyinam
14, including 5 children under 5 yrs, are from same family out of the 15 who lost their lives
A fatal accident near Anyinam in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region has claimed the lives of 15 people.
According to the police, 14 of them, including five children below five years, died on the spot while one more person died at the hospital.
The 14 who died on the spot are said to be members of the same family from Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region, who were travelling to a funeral in the Greater Accra Region. Two out of four people who survived the accident have been treated and discharged while the remaining two are still on admission at the hospital.
The Atiwa District Police Commander, Superintendent Eric Asiedu, told The Finder that the accident happened at about 11:30pm on Thursday, February 1, 2018, but the police got information in the morning of Friday, February 2, 2018, and rushed to the scene. He said investigations so far have revealed that a Man Diesel truck with registration number WR 5783-C, driven by 35-year-old Adams Issah, was travelling from the Accra direction to Kumasi.
He explained that a Sprinter Benz bus with registration number GN 3699-14, driven by the late Akwetey, was travelling from Juaso in the Ashanti Region to Accra. This Sprinter bus, with 14 passengers on board, also carried about 25 pieces of 2/4 lumber under the seats.
According to Superintendent Asiedu, the late Akwetey, driving the said Sprinter Benz bus and with 14 passengers onboard, decided to overtake the vehicle ahead of him, in front of the WAPCO filling station on the highway, near Anyinam. He stated that while overtaking the vehicle, the Sprinter bus came face-to-face with the Man Diesel truck coming from the opposite direction, resulting in the head-on collision, killing all 14 passengers onboard.
The bodies have been deposited at the Nkawkaw Holy Family hospital.
Superintendent Asiedu noted that 35-year-old Adams Issah, who was driving the Man Diesel truck lost control and hit an ML Benz, with registration number GT 546-U, driven by 36-year-old Eric Agyei, and loaded with foodstuffs. Eric Agyei and two other occupants of the ML Benz sustained serious injuries, but Eric Agyei later died at the Kibi Government Hospital while the other two remain on admission.
Adams Issah, who was driving the Man Diesel truck, and one other occupant also sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital, where they were treated and discharged.
Cape Coast highway records over 60 percent Central Region road accidents
6th February 2018
Ghana recorded 2890 road crashes in 2017 as against 2830 recorded over the same period in 2016
The Accra-Cape Coast highway accounted for more than 60 percent of all road crashes recorded in 2017, making it the most dangerous road corridor in the Central Region, the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has said.
Mrs Affotey-Annang, Acting Regional Manager of the Commission disclosed this at the Central Regional Coordinating Council Meeting to review the performance of the various decentralised departments in Cape Coast on Friday.
The region recorded an increase in road accidents from 788 in 2016 to 978 in 2017, representing 23.7 per cent.
This figure involved over 1,402 vehicles and 307 pedestrians’ knockdowns through which 193 and 1,545 were killed and injured respectively. Mrs Affotey-Annang outlined poor safety attitudes on the part of drivers as a major contributing factor to the rising phenomenon of roads fatalities.
Namibia: Festive season road accidents decrease
COMBATING ROAD CARNAGE … Commissioner Rauha Amwele (second from left) receives the donated equipment from the Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital’s Elizabeth Booysen (second from right). Standing on the left and right are Eva Amakali of the MVA Fund and deputy commissioner Ottilie Kashuupulwa.
MOTOR vehicle accidents and the resultant road fatalities and injuries have decreased over the past festive season, in comparison to the same period the previous season.
Data collected by the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund during the festive season road safety campaign, for the period between 22 November 2017 and 16 January this year, and the same period the previous season showed an 18% decrease in motor vehicle accidents, from 645 to 528.
Injuries decreased by 25% from 1 292 to 965, while road fatalities decreased by 5% from 134 to 127.
This information was revealed by the manager of the Ongwediva MVA Fund service centre, Eva Amakali, during a donation handover ceremony at the police’s permanent roadblock at Oshiko in the Oshana region on Saturday. The Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital donated 100 traffic cones and 40 reflective vests, with a total value of N$30 000, to the police.
Amakali said although there was a decrease in motor vehicle accidents, injuries and fatalities, there was still much to be done, especially in regions where the number of accidents was high, such as Khomas, where 31% of road accidents happen, and Erongo and Oshana with 13% and 12%, respectively. Otjozondjupa and Oshana had the highest fatalities with 15% each, while Oshikoto was third with 13%.
“The battle against road carnage is not an easy one and I am happy that we have institutions in our society who realise the need to support our law enforcement teams in keeping our roads safe. The MVA Fund is grateful to have generous and committed partners, such as the Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital, as we, together with the road safety fraternity and various other role players, keep on fighting to have our roads safe,” she noted. The donation was handed over by the hospital’s public relations officer, Elizabeth Booysen.
Receiving the donation, Oshana police regional commander, commissioner Rauha Amwele, described it as a magnificent and generous gesture. “The police on its own cannot achieve its goals, hence, the continued support of the private sector is highly appreciated,” she said. She added that the donated equipment would be put to good use, not only at the Oshiko checkpoint, but would be shared with other semi-permanent and mobile check points in the region.
Lady driven Kombi overturns
Several people were reportedly injured this morning in Shamva when a Bindura commuter omnibus they were travelling in overturned.
An eyewitness identified as Bhanyaz told Bulawayo24.com that the kombi was being driven by a lady only identified as Bheki who failed to control it resulting in an accident. “The lady failed to control her kombi hence the accident, several people were injured and there are no fatalities,” said Bhanyaz.
“The accident happened near Sirewo farm in Shamva district.”
UHURU ORDERS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC RULES TO PREVENT ROAD ACCIDENTS
Posted on Feb 5, 2018 
By HILARY KIMUYU
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed traffic police to ensure full and impartial enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, for the prevention of unnecessary loss of life as a result of road accidents.
Speaking at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, Nairobi on Friday when he officially closed a two-day workshop of the Inspector General’s Conference, the president said a majority of the road accidents are preventable.
“In the recent past, we have lost far too many lives on our roads. We need to be perfectly clear here, these deaths are avoidable. The Kenyans who have left us, fathers and mothers, son and daughters, did not have to die,” President Kenyatta said.
The President further directed police officers to take charge of traffic regulation and law enforcement on the roads.
ROAD CARNAGE: The reforms include new National Police Service Standing Orders, career progression guidelines and basic training curriculum which President Kenyatta launched.
Last year alone and more so the month of December, more than 3,000 people lost their lives on the road according to National Transport and Safety Authority.
Kenya is ranked among countries with the worst road safety records globally based on a 2015 World Health Organisation (WHO) report titled the Global Status on Road Safety.
WHO differs with the country’s official statistics and places the annual death toll at an average of 12,000, with many accidents blamed on faulty vehicles and minimal or total lack of enforcement by authorities coupled with bribery.
The report shows that no African country, except South Africa, meets any of the UN’s seven main vehicle safety standards.
9 killed in horror accident in Mpumalanga
2018-02-05 Derrick Spies, Correspondent
Mbombela – Nine people died in an accident between an SUV and another vehicle on the N4 in Mpumalanga early on Monday morning.Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety and Liaison spokesperson Joseph Mabuza said the accident occurred on the N4 at Karino, near Mbombela at about 03:50.
Mabuza said both vehicles caught alight as a result of the collision.
Seven people died at the scene of the accident and two died later in hospital as a result of their injuries.
“Of the seven, six were burnt beyond recognition,” Mabuza said.
The road was closed to traffic following the accident and Mabuza advised motorists to use the KaNyamazane road to Mbombela.
One killed‚ six injured in Witbank collision
One person was killed and six other people sustained various injuries when two vehicles collided on the D686 between Witbank and Ogies in Mpumalanga on Saturday afternoon‚ paramedics said.
“At approximately 5pm‚ paramedics from ER24 attended the scene where they found a 31-year-old man with fatal injuries. Sadly‚ there was nothing that they could do for him and he was declared dead on scene. It is understood that he was ejected from the vehicle during the crash‚” said ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak.
He said six people were treated for injuries ranging from minor to moderate. “Once treated‚ they were transported to Witbank General Hospital for further care. “The exact circumstances surrounding the collision is not yet known. “
Nigeria: Nollywood Actor, Moses Armstrong’s Wife Dies In Car Accident
4th February 2018
Special Adviser to Akwa Ibom State governor on Agriculture, and actor, Moses Armstrong, has lost his wife, Rita, today in a fatal auto crash along the Benin-Ore road.
She was also a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria.
Rita had escaped death in March 2012 after she was involved in a near fatal accident in Lagos along Ikorodu road when the driver of the cab she was in lost control and rammed into a fence with her sustaining serious injuries on the face.
She left two kids behind. May her soul RIP.
ZA: Five killed after BMW, bakkie crash in North West
Rustenburg – Five people died when a car and a bakkie collided on the N4 at Rustenburg in the North West late on Friday night, paramedics said.
Shortly after 11pm, paramedics from ER24 and other services arrived on the scene “where they found the BMW ripped into several pieces”, ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak said.
“The bakkie was found several metres away with severe damage. It is believed that the BMW had six occupants at the time of the collision. Two women and three men succumbed to their injuries prior to paramedics’ arrival on [the] scene. They were all declared dead.
“A 23-year-old man was found on the scene with minor to moderate injuries. He indicated to paramedics that he was the front passenger in the BMW. Paramedics assessed him but he later declined to be transported to hospital.”
The driver of the bakkie was treated and assessed by another service on the scene and later transported to a nearby hospital. The cause of the collision was not yet known, Vermaak said.
Seven killed, several others trapped in gruesome accident near Tulbagh
4th Feb 2018 Iavan Pijoos
Cape Town – Seven people have been killed and several others are still trapped after two trucks and two cars collided between Wolseley and Tulbagh, in the Western Cape on Friday afternoon.
“It is really a gruesome accident. Emergency services are working tirelessly to free those who are still trapped,” Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa said.
Africa could not confirm how many people were trapped.
Ghana: 14 family members die in gory accident
Five out of the 14 people who died on the spot were children
14 people belonging to the same family have been confirmed dead in a gory accident at Anyinam on the Kumasi-Accra Highway.
The fatal crash occurred Thursday evening after a Sprinter Benz Bus attempted to overtake another Benz vehicle but unfortunately crashed into an onrushing cargo car.
Five out of the 14 people who died on the spot were children. The accident occurred around 11 pm Thursday evening.
According to Starr FM’s Eastern regional correspondent, the deceased are family members who were travelling from Atewa to Ningo to attend a funeral.
An eyewitness who spoke to Starr News said all the deceased persons have been conveyed to the Roman Hospital.
Man miraculously survives collision with truck in Vereeniging
2nd February 2018
A man, believed to be in his 30s, sustained moderate injuries after the vehicle he was in collided with a truck on Houtkop road in Vereeniging this morning.
When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene just after 07H00, they found a vehicle torn in half. The driver of the vehicle was still entrapped and the fire department had to extricate the man with the jaws of life.
Upon further assessment, paramedics found the man to have sustained moderate injuries. The man was transported to a hospital by the Provincial EMS on the scene. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident were not yet known to our paramedics.
One killed, several injured in bus accident
by Staff reporter 2nd February 2018
ONE person died on the spot while several others were injured when the bus they were travelling in veered off the road and landed on its side along the Bulawayo-Gwanda Road near Esigodini. The bus which was travelling to Masvingo from Bulawayo veered of the road at the escarpment popularly known as “Danger” at about 5PM.
When a Chronicle news crew arrived at the scene at about 6:30PM, two of the passengers who were seriously injured had been taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals while the rest of the injured had been rushed to Esigodini District Hospital.
A few passengers who escaped unhurt were milling around the bus.
Bulawayo Fire Brigade Divisional Officer Mr Josphat Chiriya said ambulances ferried most of the injured to Esigodini Hospital except for the two who were seriously injured who had to be rushed to UBH. “Unfortunately one person died. We suspect they were about 60 passengers in the bus,” said Mr Chiriya.
He urged drivers to exercise caution on the roads especially during this wet season as the roads are slippery.
300 NTSA police recalled as tough steps taken to curb road carnage
The government has announced drastic safety measures to tame road carnage, among them redeploying the 300 police officers attached to the NTSA. The redeployment follows a directive by president Uhuru Kenyatta for officers of the National Transport and Safety Authority to let traffic police man the roads.
They have been blamed for runaway road accidents, at least 330 having occurred in December 2017 alone. The number of deaths that year was approximately 3,500.
Cabinet secretaries Fred Matiang’i (Interior) and James Macharia (Transport) highlighted the measures in a joint testament on Wednesday. “Enforcement of traffic laws is the responsibility of the National Police Service and they should ensure it is done. All police officers currently attached to the NTSA should immediately return to the NPS for redeployment,” they said.
The ministers asked IG Joseph Boinnet to include reduction of traffic fatalities in the regional commanders’ performance contracts. Action will be taken against those who do not meet this target. (See Editiorial 2017 https://ministryofsafety.wordpress.com/home-2011-to-2014/ – Ed)
Family cries for justice after child knocked by driver dies
By Mercy Kahenda February 1st 2018 
Meshack Kipkoech Kosgey the son of Bishop Jackson Kosgey hiding from cameras during a court session. [Photo by Kipsang Joseph/Standard] The parents of a child who was knocked down by a vehicle on Christmas Day last year have asked police to investigate the incident and arrest the suspect.
Five-year-old Biron Kinda was hit by a car driven by Meshack Kipkoech, who is known to those who rushed to rescue the child near Mogotio town along the Nakuru-Marigat road. Rajab Ruto told The Standard his son was going to pick a pair of shoes with his older sister when he was knocked down. The two were on the roadside when the incident happened, according to their father. “My son had just crossed the road when the vehicle coming from Nakuru drove off the road and knocked him, leaving him with serious injuries,” he said.
Villagers who arrived on the scene are said to have forced Mr Kipkoech to take the child to hospital accompanied by his sister. But as he drove off, Mr Ruto said, he also hit a man riding a motorcycle a few metres from the first accident scene. Before transfer Biron was first taken to Mogotio Dispensary before being transferred to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital where he died on December 29.
The boy’s mother Emily Awour said she reported the death at Mogotio Police Station but the officers took no action. The officer at the front desk reportedly told her to go and bury her son first and come back to record a statement. “My son was in critical condition but I had hoped he would recover. Unfortunately, after his death, I informed the police but no action was taken,” she said. “The police should investigate my son’s death thoroughly and take action against the accused,” she said.
Mogotio OCPD Patrick Nyangaresi said Kipkoech was arrested following the accident. “The suspect was arrested and charged in court for causing death through reckless driving,” said Mr Nyangaresi, adding that the suspect was arraigned in an Eldama Ravine court. “The case was taken to court after police conducted investigations but I am not aware why the suspect was released,” said Nyangaresi.
A prosecutor in Eldama Ravine however said police were yet to charge the suspect for causing death through reckless driving. The prosecutor said the accused was arraigned on December 27 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. “The police officers are not candid. There is no case of the suspect in court for causing death through reckless driving,” said the officer. The accused was released on cash bail of Sh30, 000 after being charged for driving under the influence of alcohol. Reckless driving
The prosecution said a letter was written to the police asking them to release a file to charge Kipkoech with causing death through reckless driving two weeks ago but this has not been done. “We are waiting for a response from the police and files to lay charges against the accused to guarantee justice for the family,” added the officer.
The prosecutor also raised concerns about police failure to conduct a postmortem on the child. “If the police claim they were not aware about the child’s burial, they have an obligation to go to court under a miscellaneous file to seek exhumation for purposes of a postmortem,” said the prosecutor. Contacted for comment, Kipkoech denied that he caused the child’s death. “How did I knock the victims? That is a lie,” he said.
Three-year-old boy, three others die in Lagos as truck plunges into river
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred at about 8.45 a.m when a container detached from the truck while it was on motion around Kara bridge end of the road.
Witnesses said the container later rammed into a motorcycle rider and two passengers while the detachable head of the truck plunged into Isheri Olofin River. A three-year-old boy on the motorcycle lost his life on the spot, it was gathered, while his mother sustained leg fracture.
The dead and injured have since been moved to the hospital by officials of the Federal Road Service Corps, FRSC. The detachable part of the truck that plunged into the river was recovered by officials of LASEMA with with support from local divers. According to LASEMA, three bodies were extricated from it and have been moved to the morgue by the FRSC.
The General Manager LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu, said that proper investigation would be conducted on the incident.
‘Chief’ slaps magistrate, JSC with $50,000 lawsuit
A CHIEF-in-waiting who was wrongfully convicted for reckless driving is suing the presiding magistrate and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for $50 000. The money is for damages for trauma and embarrassment during the arrest and subsequent court appearances.
Tenson Danha (60) of Northend suburb, Bulawayo was in February 2013 convicted of contravening a section of the Road Traffic Act (negligent driving) by a Masvingo provincial magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso. He was fined $50 or 20 days imprisonment.
However, Mr Mudzongachiso’s decision was five months later set aside by former Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda when the matter was brought before him for review. The judge quashed both conviction and sentence and referred the matter back to the lower court. He directed that the matter be heard by a different magistrate who then acquitted Danha.
Danha, through his lawyers, T Hara and Partners, filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Mr Mudzongachiso and JSC as defendants. He is seeking an order directing the defendants to pay him $50 000 being damages for legal costs, trauma and embarrassment suffered following his arrest and conviction.
Danha said Mr Mudzongachiso was biased and misdirected himself when he convicted him. “Sometime in February 2013, the first defendant (Mr Mudzongachiso) fraudulently convicted and sentenced me at Masvingo magistrates’ court despite pleading not guilty. The first defendant’s conduct during trial was unwarranted and I suffered damages amounting to $50 000 including costs of engaging a legal practitioner for a review of proceedings,” he said.
Danha said JSC was also liable since Mr Mudzongachiso was acting within the scope and course of his employment. During the trial proceedings yesterday, Danha said he also suffered stress which resulted in diabetes and hypertension. He told the court that he was next in line for chieftainship, but his chances of taking over the reins were now slim because of the “criminal” record. Danha did not mention the name of the chieftainship.
The defendants, through lawyers Kantor and Immerman Legal Practitioners, opposed the summons arguing that there was no basis upon which they can be held liable. The defendants said Danha’s trauma and embarrassment arose from a decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to have him prosecuted.
“No liability attaches to the defendants in such circumstances where they have executed their duties without any fraudulent conduct. This is denied and the plaintiff (Danha) is put to strict proof of the damages claimed and the strict proof of the allegations of fraudulent proceedings,” said the defendants’ lawyers.
The court heard that on August 29 in 2011 at about 5.30PM, Danha was driving a Nissan Sunny along Masvingo-Beitbridge road. On approaching a railway line near Chevron Hotel, Danha tried to overtake a haulage truck towing a trailer and in the process the car sideswiped with the truck. Danha’s car was damaged but no one was injured. He was arrested and charged for failing to keep a proper lookout, speeding in the circumstances and failing to act reasonably when the accident seemed imminent.
Limpopo: 2 BURNT TO DEATH IN TAXI CRASH!
TWO taxi drivers were burnt beyond recognition when a VW Crafter and a Toyota Quantum collided on Monday morning.
According to police investigations, the VW Crafter was travelling from Polokwane towards Lephalale with one passenger, when it collided head on with a white Toyota Quantum from the opposite direction.
“Both vehicles caught fire on impact and the two drivers were burnt beyond recognition. A 29-year-old female passenger was transported to hospital with severe burn wounds,” Police spokesperson Brigadier Mojapelo said.
Mojapelo said the deceased’s names will be released as soon as their positive identification has been made and their next of kin notified.
Ghana: 2 feared dead in gory accident near Nsawam
January 31st, 2018
Two persons are feared dead with several others injured in a gory Tuesday morning accident at Okanta Number 1 in the Nsawam Adoagyir Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The two were among four persons who were in a Toyota Hiace vehicle with registration number GN 5664-17 driving from Accra to Kumasi, when the car collided with a VVIP bus from Kumasi to Accra with registration number GT 6417-10.
Last week, 9 others lost their lives in a similar accident at Teacher Mante on the same Accra Kumasi stretch.
3 dead in Yutong Bus crash on Accra-Kumasi Highway
Three persons also died on the spot when a Yutong bus on which they were travelling from Kumasi to Accra, crashed into a Man diesel trailer truck at Asuboi near Suhum on the Accra Kumasi Highway on January 16, 2018.
Over the weekend, four persons also died in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, when an ambulance run into an articulated truck.
The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, told Citi News that the other injured passengers have been sent to the Suhum Government Hospital for treatment.
By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
2 JMPD officers killed after drunk driver crashes into roadblock
31st January 2018 Nation Nyoka
Two JMPD officers died after a drunk driver crashed into them. (Supplied)
Johannesburg – Two female Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers were killed when a drunk driver drove into them, causing a multiple vehicle crash at a roadside checkpoint on Witkoppen Road, in Fourways, Johannesburg, on Monday evening.
The driver was arrested and taken to Sandton police station, after blood samples were taken. The two officers were declared dead at the scene by Netcare 911 paramedics.Two passengers and a driver in a separate car were seriously injured when the driver of the Toyota Hilux double cab bakkie drove into a group of officers, as well as a Hyundai.
Two other female officers, as well as the drivers of a BMW and Porsche – which had been stopped by the officers – were slightly injured.
At a loss for words “Three passengers from a stationary vehicle were rescued by the fire department and assessed on scene, one passenger sustained severe injuries and the rest minor to moderate injuries.
Nigeria: Road crash claims 20 lives
30th January 2018 by APA News 
Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday confirmed that 20 people were killed in a road accident along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway on Sunday night.The Sector Commander of FRSC in Kaduna, Mr. Umar Ibrahim, said that the accident occurred at about 7 pm at Dutse u-turn, 22km from Kaduna metropolis.
Ibrahim explained that the accident involved a white DAF articulated vehicle with registration number AJG118XA and a white Toyota HAICE bus with registration number XA866MLF.
He said that the 16 seater-bus, was overloaded with 30 passengers, 29 males and a female going to the southern part of the country. According to him, the accident occurred when the truck, coming from Abuja axis tried to make a U-turn at Dutse when the bus coming from Kaduna axis ram into it, killing 17 people on the spot. “Ten others sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital by the FRSC official where three of them also died,” he said.
Ibrahim said that the truck was going to convey cows from a broken down truck close to the accident scene. He said that the number of the deaths was high because the bus was “extremely overloaded”.
According to him, the accident caused a gridlock that lasted for about four hours and “we had to divert traffic to single lane before we were able to clear the wreckage and allow free flow of traffic”.
Fatal crash next to the Tzaneen Showgrounds in Mopani district, Limpopo
30th January 2018
Next to Tzaneen Showgrounds in Mopani district, a Toyota recovery motor vehicle collided head-on with an oncoming VW
Crash between bus and taxi kills 14 injures 22 in Algeria
Late in….30th January 2018
Trailer Crushes Five, As Two Others Die In Ondo Auto Crash
29th January 2018
Scene of the accident
The university community of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, was thrown into mourning yesterday as a trailer lost control and rammed into a roadside market.
An eyewitness, Mr. Muritala Rauf, recounted that the truck, which was coming from Ikare axis of the road, lost control while its driver was attempting to dodge a car near the market.
Rauf disclosed that the incident killed five people instantly while several traders and passersby who were severely injured had been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Another witness, Mrs. Iyabo Adewale, noted that the casualties would have been more than the number recorded if students of Adekunle Ajasin University were not on holiday. She added that men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the police promptly intervened to rescue the victims and forestall any outbreak of law and order in the community.
Another auto crash occurred at Ajebamidele axis of Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway in Odigbo LGA of the state, resulting in the death of two persons. It was gathered that the Ore road accident involved a black SUV and blue Sienna bus, and was caused by reckless overtaking, which led to a head-on collision.
Five perish in road mishap
Five people died on the spot while another five were injured in the early hours of yesterday when a Toyota Granvia they were travelling in burst a rear tyre at the 17km peg along the Bulawayo-Plumtree road. The picture collage shows the damaged vehicle and police officers attending to the scene of the accident
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
FIVE people died yesterday morning in a road accident along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road when a Toyota Granvia they were travelling in burst a rear tyre and overturned near Mbokodo.
Four others were injured with one said to be in a serious condition and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the United Bulawayo Hospitals. Only one escaped with minor bruises and was not taken to hospital.
A source privy to the accident told Sunday News that all the passengers were travelling to Bulawayo from Botswana in a Toyota Granvia when the accident occurred. The source said the vehicle burst its rear left tyre, resulting in the driver losing control.
Bulawayo police could not be drawn into commenting on the issue referring all enquiries to national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi, who was however, not reachable.
“The driver lost control of the vehicle, which then swerved to the left side of the road. He tried to control the vehicle and maintain it on the road but in the process the vehicle overturned and rolled three times, throwing some passengers out while crushing those that were inside,” said the source who witnessed the accident.
The next of kin of the deceased are yet to be advised, with four of them having been positively identified through their passports.
Earlier this month four people died on the spot, after a vehicle they were travelling in sideswiped a haulage truck and then collided head on with another truck along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near Mbembesi.
The driver and three passengers who were travelling to Bulawayo in a Toyota Spacio died on the spot. The Toyota Spacio allegedly encroached onto the lane of the first freightliner truck resulting in a sideswipe and thereafter collided head-on with the second freightliner truck.
30 cheat death in Gweru bus accident
ABOUT 30 people cheated death yesterday after their Kwekwe-bound bus veered off the road and overturned about 7km from the city centre.
The Govasburg bus crew said the accident occurred when the driver lost control of his vehicle while trying to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming
car.
“I saw a car overtaking our bus, but there was oncoming traffic. The (bus) driver applied sudden brakes and the bus swerved to the right lane, veered off the road, hitting two small trees before landing on its right side,” a bus loader who identified himself as Stanley Chimoyo told Southern Eye. “No one was seriously injured except for one woman whose leg was injured when she attempted to save her child. I, however, managed to take out the child who had no injuries before the woman was taken to Gweru General Hospital.”
A police officer who attended the accident scene confirmed that there were no fatalities. Provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende was said to be out of office and unreachable.
One dead, four injured in Cape Town car crash
A man was killed and four other people were injured, some seriously, when the car they were travelling in crashed into a wall on the corner of Mill and Buitenkant streets in Gardens in Cape Town on Saturday morning.
An ER24 paramedic came across the incident at 6am just before her shift started, ER24 spokeswoman Ineke van Huyssteen said.
Upon further assessment, paramedics found a woman, believed to be 19 years old, in a serious condition trapped inside the car. Cape Town Metro Rescue had to use the jaws-of-life to free the woman.
Four men, believed to be in their 20s, were found outside the car. It was believed that members of the public removed them from the vehicle. “Unfortunately, the one man had succumbed to his injuries and he was declared dead on the scene. The other three men sustained injuries ranging from moderate to serious.”
Ghana: Four die in accident at Biahu
28th January 2018
One of the cars involved in the accident
The four were said to have died instantly when the ambulance on which they were travelling collided with a heavy-duty haulage truck at around 1.00 p.m yesterday.
The injured, who have been identified as Alex Asare, the driver of the ambulance, and one Edith are on admission at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital. Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the hospital morgue, pending autopsy.
Incident: The ambulance got involved in the accident while conveying a patient to the Effia Nkwanta Hospital. The patient, Ben Asafoah, also perished in the crash.
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the accident told the Daily Graphic that the ambulance was travelling from Dixcove to the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in Takoradi. According to them, even though the ambulance had its siren on to warn other road users to make way for it, the heavy-duty haulage truck from Tarkwa ignored the warning, leading to the collision.
“Due to the huge frame of the haulage truck, it had difficulty in responding quickly to the ambulance’s siren to move aside. “As it were, it collided head-on with the ambulance in spite of attempts by the driver of the ambulance to avoid hitting the truck,” the witnesses said.
Accident claims 5 near Bulawayo
Five people have died and five others injured in a road traffic accident that happened last night along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Highway.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police said the accident happened when a Toyota Granvia vehicle with Botswana registration number plates burst its rear tyre before it veered off the road where it overturned several times.
The police said 5 people died on the spot after sustaining head injuries, and their bodies were conveyed to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary for post-mortem, while the injured are receiving treatment at the same hospital.
The names of the deceased will be released in due course once their next of kin are advised.
The police warned motorists to travel and at safe speeds, use roadworthy vehicles, avoid overloading vehicles and desist from driving without drivers licence.
Four killed in car accident in Ghana
27th January 2018
ACCRA, — Four people were feared dead in an accident on Friday at Beahu, a community in the southwest of Ghana, some 230 km away from the capital Accra.
The accident occurred when a truck said to be conveying a consignment of manganese to the mining town of Tarkwa rammed into an ambulance which had six persons on board, police confirmed to local media.
Two of the passengers who survived the accident are receiving treatment at a nearby health facility, reports said.
The accident comes just a day after 10 people were killed in a horrific crash at Teacher-Mantey near Nsawam, 37km northeast of Accra.
Kirinyaga leaders hold cleansing prayer
27th January 2018
An increase in the number of road accidents along the Sagana Kutus road has prompted the area leaders to seek divine intervention in what they hope will cleanse it of “evil spirits”. The interdenominational prayers were held barely 24 hours after a Boda Boda rider was killed in a road crash on the same road. The prayers were characterized by calls for motorists to exercise caution as the area is considered a black spot.
Mnangagwa declares Tsholotsho accident ‘state of disaster’ 55 days later
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday officially declared a state of disaster within Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North province, following an accident that killed 21 Government workers on December 2 last year. It’s not clear why he waited 55 days to do so.
The declaration was announced by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo in a Government gazette yesterday. “It is hereby notified that His Excellency the President, in terms of Section 27 (1) of the Civil Protection Act (Chapter 10:06), declared that as a result of the Lorry Accident (a road accident that occurred on the 2nd of December, 2017, in Tsholotsho District) a state of disaster exists within the Tsholotsho District of Matabeleland North Province with effect from 3rd December, 2017,” said Minister Moyo.
The accident, which killed 21 health workers and injured 48 others, occurred at around 4pm at the 35km peg along the Tsholotsho-Sipepa Road near Jimila Centre. The victims were members of a Ministry of Health and Child Care malaria control programme team that was on duty in Matabeleland North province.
That the health workers were crammed into a UD truck that overturned, killing them, has been contrasted with Mnangagwa’s government splashing millions on buying Isuzu twin-cab vehicles for nearly 300 chiefs across the country in a blatant vote-buying gimmick ahead of elections in 5 months.
Ghana: 61 die through road crashes in Upper West Region in 2017
Various road traffic accidents that occurred in the Upper West Region in 2017 claimed a total of 61 lives resulting in an increase from the 54 persons that were killed in 2016.
Total number of fatal cases also increased from 48 in 2016 to 54 in 2017 while total number of persons injured again increased from 240 to 276 respectively.
Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Samad, Upper West Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) disclosed this at a press briefing in Wa on Wednesday. Total number of serious cases decreased from 72 cases in 2016 to 53 cases in 2017, he said adding that total number of minor cases however increased from 39 to 43 in respectively.
He said total number of cases reported however decreased from 159 cases in 2016 to 147 cases in 2017 with total number of vehicles involved also decreasing from 246 to 221 respectively. He disclosed that the total number of pedestrian knockdowns also decreased from 30 cases in 2016 to 16 cases in 2017.
Mr. Abdul-Samad explained that the closure of the Yapei and Buipe bridges on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 to vehicular traffic to make way for rehabilitation could account for the increase in some of the statistics recorded in the region for 2017. He explained further that the closure of the bridges forced a diversion of vehicular traffic through the Upper West Region, thereby, increasing pressure on the roads leading to some accidents.
The NRSC Upper West Regional Manager said before then, the region had recorded a decrease in all categories of the statistics, adding that but for the diversion they would not have been any significant changes in the statistics.
Mr. Abdul-Samad was happy that there was a significant decrease in pedestrian knockdown and attributed it to the intensified public and institutional education and sensitisation campaign activities carried out by the Commission especially in schools during the year.
He cited interference in the enforcement of road traffic regulations as one of the major challenges in the region and pleaded with political leadership and other influential persons in society to desist from the act to allow adequate enforcement for public compliance.
Mr. Abdul-Samad said the Commission would continue to carry out its education and sensitisation campaigns in the region to ensure public awareness and compliance with road traffic regulations so that lives and property would be protected for a better society.
Western Cape road traffic fatalities down by 4.3% in 2017
26th January 2018 Holly Charlton
Cape Town – New data from Forensic Pathology Services in the Western Cape indicates that 59 fewer deaths occurred on the province’s roads in 2017 compared to the previous year.
17 people were injured this morning when a bakkie and light motor vehicle collided, Gallo Manor
25 Jan 2018, Johannesburg: Seventeen people were left injured this morning when a bakkie and light motor vehicle collided at the Kelvin and Bowling Road intersection in Gallo Manor, Johannesburg.
ER24 Paramedics, along with other services, arrived on the scene to find the light motor vehicle in the middle of the intersection while the bakkie was found further down the road, lying on its side.
Upon closer inspection, paramedics discovered a number of patients walking around on the scene. It is believed that a number of people had been seated on the back of the bakkie when the collision occurred.
Paramedics assessed the patients and found that seventeen had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
The patients were treated for their injuries and were thereafter transported by various services to nearby hospitals.
The local authorities were on the scene and will be conducting an investigation into this incident.
Eight family members killed in crash
Durban – “The people who died here all lived in one house, that house will be closed now.”
The shattered wreck of the VW Golf in which the eight family members were travelling. Picture: Arrive Alive
That was the heartbreaking reaction of Roland Harry, a close relative of members of the Mahabeer family who perished in a horror accident on Sunday night. The family is from Northdale in Pietermaritzburg. Eight family members, aged between 4 and 52 were wiped out when a car they were travelling in, a Golf 1, collided head on with a Ford Ranger on the N2 near Umzumbe.
The driver of the Ford Ranger has been arrested, accused of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Eight family members, aged between 4 and 52 were wiped out when a car they were travelling in collided head on with a Ford Ranger on the N2 near Umzumbe. The victims included Veroshnie Ramparsad and her husband Mitchell Roland Mahabeer. Picture: Supplied
Among those who died are three adults, Veroshnie Ramparsad, her husband Mitchell Roland Mahabeer, her mother Loraine, and Mitchell’s brother Jesse. Veroshnie’s four children Isabella, Titus, Hannah and Liya, aged between 4 and 12, also died.
Pictures of the accident scene showed the impact of the collision. The front of the white single cab Ford Ranger was destroyed and the VW was completely mangled, signalling the force of the impact.
The family was coming back from a weekend break on the South Coast where they had been visiting other family members. The news of the death shocked many of the couple’s friend who expressed their condolences on Veroshnie’s facebook page. Harry said the broader family was devastated and hoped that the law would take its course. “Our family is taking this very badly,” he said.
“There was nothing left of the car my cousins were travelling in. There is no way anyone could have survived that collision,” he said. “Where the accident happened, the section of the freeway has no centre median,” he said.
He described the deceased as good people. “They were very good, hard-working people. Today was supposed to be a normal day for them, they were supposed to be going back to work and the children would have been going to school,” said Harry.
MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mxolisi Kaunda said in a statement he has instructed a team of forensic experts to fast-track investigations. “The driver of the bakkie escaped the crash unharmed, but was found to have consumed alcohol exceeding the legal limit. He was apprehended on scene and taken to Hibberdene SAPS where appropriate charges will be drawn against him,” said Kaunda in a statement.
“It is always worrying to experience a loss of so many lives in one crash. It is mostly disturbing to note that four of the deceased are children,” he continued.
Kaunda decried continued disregard for life shown by drivers who drink and drive or speed. “On behalf of the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal, we wish to send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the deceased,” he said. SAPS spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said charges of culpable homicide and drunken driving are being investigated by Southport SAPS.
“A 63-year-old driver was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of liquor and culpable homicide,” she said.
Around 100 schoolchildren injured in Westonaria bus crash
25th January 2018 Jenni Evans
Johannesburg – At least 100 schoolchildren were injured, some seriously, in a crash between a school bus and a truck in Westonaria on Tuesday, Gauteng paramedics said.
ER24 spokesperson Ineke van Huyssteen said when paramedics arrived at the scene, to the far south-west of Johannesburg, just before 16:00, children between the ages of eight and 14 were lying injured over a wide area.
One boy, estimated to be around 13-years-old, was so seriously injured that he had to be airlifted by an ER24 emergency helicopter for further treatment.
The cause of the collision between the two vehicles on the N12 was not immediately clear.
5 SA cops nabbed for smuggling stolen cars to Zimbabwe
SOUTH Africa’s organised crime unit, the Hawks have arrested nine people including five policemen and one immigration officer from the neighbouring country on corruption charges, fraud and smuggling of stolen vehicles into Zimbabwe.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo province, Captain Matimba Maluleke said the suspects were arrested on Monday and Tuesday during an operation code named “Mirror.” He said the group had been under surveillance for two years. “The nine suspects aged between 32 to 51, including five police officers and a Home Affairs official were arrested on January 22 and 23 in Limpopo for alleged corruption, fraud and smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles out of South Africa, “said Captain Maluleke.
“The arrests are a culmination of a Hawks’ investigative project dubbed “Mirror” aimed at addressing corrupt and illegal activities which includes, smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles through Beitbridge Border Post. “The five police officers who were stationed at Tom Burke SAPS and the border post as well as the home affairs official and three runners, were under Hawks’ radar since 2016 following complaints from members of the public,” said Captain Maluleke.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly forged documents to facilitate the smuggling of stolen vehicles through the Beitbridge Border Post. Captain Maluleke said one of the police officers, Sergeant Israel Mandiwana who is stationed at Beitbridge has since appeared before a Makhado magistrate’s court.
Mandiwana was remanded in custody to February 1 for bail application. Captain Maluleke said Mandiwana’s accomplices will appear in different courts today. “We are not leaving any stone unturned as we seek to reduce cases of cross border crimes relating to smuggling and theft of motor vehicles,” he said.
More than 40 people have been arrested in the last 12 months for smuggling stolen vehicles into Zimbabwe from the neighbouring country through the Limpopo River. The smuggling of vehicles between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s border is rife amid reports that most of the cars are destined for Tanzania and Malawi while others find their way into the local market.
Five people die after oil tanker crashes into Tuk Tuk in Kisumu
Author: Linda Shiundu 
Five people have died and others nursing injuries in Kisumu County following a freak road accident – An oil tanker fell on a Tuk Tuk full of passengers at Kachok after the driver lost control ofthe vehicle Five people died and several others injured on Tuesday, January 23 following a grisly road accident at Kachok in Kisumu County.
Eye witness reported that an oil tanker fell on a Tuk Tuk which was full of passengers after it hit a pavement.
According to a report by Standard, the driver of the tanker that was driving towards Kisumu lost control of the vehicle before falling on its side. Police had to fire shots in the air to scare off a huge crowd that gathered at the scene to siphon oil.
The injured including a few months old baby were rushed to Kisumu County Hospital. TUKO.co.ke is following up on the developing story for more details.
Report Warns Traffic Deaths Hurt Developing Economies
Traffic accidents that result in deaths are individual tragedies that also hurt a country’s economy. A new report from the World Bank says these deaths are a barrier to economic growth in developing countries.
The report is one of several reports showing that investing in road safety in low- and middle-income countries could raise national incomes.
Worldwide, about 1.25 million people die in traffic accidents each year. The report says about 90 percent of those deaths happen in developing countries. The World Health Organization says that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death worldwide for people between the ages of 15 and 29. That includes crashes that kill people who are walking, riding bicycles or other small vehicles.
But World Bank transportation expert Dipan Bose says the issue does not get enough attention. He told VOA, “There is not a lot of political will in many low- and middle-income countries to take definitive action to reduce road deaths and injuries.”
Read complete article at https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/traffic-deaths-hurt-developing-economies/4205669.html
Man injured in fatal bus crash wants $35 000
By Mashudu Netsianda 
A Zambian man who lost three fingers after a Bulawayo-bound Bravo bus he was travelling in was involved in an accident that killed three people on the spot, is suing the bus company and its driver for $35 000.
The incident occurred on November 28 in 2016 shortly after 1AM at the 218km peg along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road. The driver, Mr Brian Mavhima lost control of the bus and it veered off the road and overturned resulting in the death of three passengers. Several other people were injured in the accident.
Mr George Kakoma through his lawyers, Legal Resources Foundation, last week filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Bravo Tours (Pvt) Ltd and Mr Mavhima as defendants.In papers before the court, Mr Kakoma said he suffered permanent disability after three fingers on his left hand were amputated. He is demanding $35 000 from the bus company being damages for pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement, trauma and future medical expenses.
He accused the driver of negligence.“The defendants were negligent in that even when they were aware that the vehicle was defective and unroadworthy, they went on to load and transport passengers from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo. The second defendant (Mr Mavhima) despite being aware of the defect went on to drive such a bus,” he said. Mr Kakoma said he sustained injuries on his left hand which resulted in his three fingers being amputated.
“On examination, the plaintiff’s injury was rated at 55 percent functional disability. By reason of the defendants’ vehicle, plaintiff suffered damages in the sum of $35 000 for permanent disability, future medical expenses, pain and suffering,” he said. “Wherefore plaintiff prays for $35 000 being total amount of damages suffered.”
The bus company is yet to respond.
Last year, a Bulawayo man whose seven year-old daughter was also injured during the same accident filed a $170 000 lawsuit against the bus company for damages in medical and hospital expenses incurred. The Chronicle
Bulawayo-Plumtree highway fencing starts
GOVERNMENT has started work on the erection of a fence along the Bulawayo –Plumtree highway with workers already on the ground.
Last week, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development recruited 39 people, mostly Plumtree residents for the job.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) managing director Mr Obio Chinyere confirmed that they have started working on the Bulawayo-Plumtree highway fencing project.
“The work has started and personnel are on the ground as I speak, clearing the bush and also digging holes where we will put poles. It was supposed to be normal work but we have since put it under the 100 days projects. We are busy making sure that in the next 100 days the work will be finished,” said Mr Chinyere. “So we have earnestly started the programme to fence the highway which we are going to complete with speed. I can confirm that indeed we are now in full swing.”
The $320 000 fencing project was supposed to have been completed at the end of last month but was delayed due to price hikes. The price hikes madness prompted Government to give the parastatal the green light to import the required materials directly from South Africa.
The TSCZ embarked on the highway fencing project last year as part of measures to reduce accidents on the country’s highways caused by stray animals. The highway fencing programme started with the erection of the Bulawayo-Gweru Highway fence.
A number of people have died on the country’s highways in accidents caused by animals that stray onto roads. For example, in 2013, National Railways of Zimbabwe general manager and freedom fighter Air Commodore Mike Tichafa Karakadzai (Retired) died after the car he was driving hit a stray cow at the 79km peg along the Gweru-Bulawayo road just after the Shangani Mine turn-off flyover.
Concerns have also been raised over the neglect of the Bulawayo –Plumtree Highway due to the absence of road markings and road signs in some parts.
One person killed in a Joburg bus crash involving 4 cars
23rd January 2018
INJURED PASSENGERS TRAPPED IN JOGOO ROAD ACCIDENT WRECKAGE
Jan 23, 2018
Three passengers are trapped in the wreckage of a matatu that was involved in a nasty accident on Jogoo Road on Monday.
The accident involved multiple vehicles that were heading to the city centre on the busy road. The passengers had boarded the matatu that belongs to Risen Sacco in Komarock. Its driver lost control and hit a matatu that was in front of it, which in turn hit a truck.
The accident has caused a major traffic snarl up on the road.
Police, motorists and Good Samaritans are helping to rescue the trapped passengers.
Uganda: Seven perish in weekend road accidents
People looking at the truck which cliamed one person and injured five others in Nyendo Town. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER KISEKKA
At least seven People have been confirmed dead in four separate accidents along different highways in the central region. Three of the accidents happened in Wamala Sub-region on Saturday claiming six people, four of whom are believed to be of the same family.
The first accident occurred along Kiboga – Kampala highway when the driver of a starlet Reg No. UAH 145C travelling from Kasanga to Kampala lost control and knocked a motorcyclist who was riding in the opposite direction.
“The rider identified as Kabugu Joseph, 34, resident of Kiryokya Mityana died on arrival at Bukomero health centre IV and his passenger (not yet identified) was referred to Mulago national referral hospital,” Mr Nobert Ochom, the Wamala Sub Region police spokesperson, noted adding that after the accident, the driver took off.
The second accident took place at about 2 pm on the same day in Kyankwanzi District at Misago trading centre when the driver of a Fuso truck registration no. UBB 826T lost control and knocked a bicycle before running over Musasizi Tracey, 08, who was on the bike. The deceased’s body was taken to Kiboga referral hospital mortuary pending postmortem and the driver, Kalema Joshua, was arrested.
Road accidents are caused by recklessness and speeding
MONDAY JANUARY 22 2018
Public Service CS Sicily Kariuki comforts Ms Lucy Muthoni at the Nyahururu county Referral Hospital on January 16, 2018. Ms Muthoni survived an accident at Ndaragwa that claimed nine lives. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A total of 78 people — among them the widow of former Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko — died in accidents on roads in Kericho alone in 2017. A further 49 sustained serious injuries, while 12 were slightly injured, said a police report.
Kericho County Commander James Mugera told the Nation that most accidents are caused by indisciplined drivers who overtake carelessly, use wrong lanes and dangerously join roads at junctions. “Speed is not one of the main causes of accidents in Kericho. It’s purely driver carelessness. Drivers break traffic rules knowingly,” said the officer.
Mrs Ouko died after her vehicle, being driven by her son, veered off the road at the Muhoroni junction and rolled several times. A few kilometres from the scene, nine passengers, including a four-year-old girl, perished on August 6, following a head-on collision between a 14-seater matatu and a lorry at Nyaberia corner, near Kipsitet trading centre.
Former Roads minister Franklin Bett, who arrived at the scene, said the accident could have been prevented. “The lorry driver learnt of the brake failure several kilometres away, but continued driving. The behaviour in our roads is very wanting,” said Mr Bett.
OVERLOADED PROBOX In Kisii County, residents have complained of overloaded Probox cars plying various routes contributing to accidents.
At the Kisii bus terminus, investigations by the Nation revealed that a number of 14-seater matatus, especially those heading to Migori and Sirare, carry up to 18 passengers. This is done by placing wooden planks, known as sambaza, between seats to create more sitting space.
Anyone who refuses to sit on them is thrown out by the rowdy touts. Inside the matatus, most of the seats are torn and have faulty or no safety belts. And even when a matatu is full, the touts still call for more customers who will stand at the door. “If you try to oppose that, you will always end up being thrown out of the matatu, so you remain silent,” said Mr John Migiro.
According to a driver who requested for anonymity for fear of victimisation, the crew part with a protection fee of between Sh50 and Sh200 to avoid arrest.
Zimbabwe: MPs to get cars for free
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa says government will in future give legislators free vehicles during their five-year tenures, departing from the current regime where members of Parliament pay for vehicles through their sitting allowance. This would apparently apply for the ninth Parliament to be ushered in after the impending general elections to be held within the next four or five months.
Speaking in the National Assembly during the national budget debate last week, Chinamasa said he will change the Parliamentary Car Scheme to allow MPs to get vehicles for free. In addition, government will give a duty free certificate for legislators to acquire a second vehicle. “With respect to Parliament budget, I have had to personally look into those issues and I want to give these guarantees.
“Firstly, there are two aspects which are the welfare of MPs and the need for resources to discharge their mandate. “With respect to the welfare of MPs, I have committed myself and I want to repeat that when we started the Parliamentary Car Scheme, it was on a loan basis. “I have since converted it to be a free car scheme — you will not be required to pay for that car and I would like to carry that scheme to the next Parliament. “We want to assure each MP a free car,” said the Finance minister.
He said there were also considerations about those MPs with vehicles that normally do not last beyond two years, especially those in rural constituencies.
Regarding these, Chinamasa said government would give them duty free certificates to buy a second vehicle for themselves but that will be done in the third year of an MP’s life in Parliament. “We agreed that those who suffer damage (to their vehicles) through accidents will be allowed free duty to replace the car that they had bought,” he said.
“With respect to the needs of Parliament to carry out its mandate, I want to assure this House that the resources will be provided so that they carry fully their mandate. So far, I am told that we have done our best to meet that responsibility.”
Currently, Parliament gives MPs a choice of one off-road vehicle between a Ford Everest and a Ranger. The MPs currently earn a gross salary of $1 124 per month and $1 046 in representation allowance. Chinamasa’s sentiments come as Parliament filed summons against a number of former legislators who left without servicing their vehicle loans. Former Zanu PF MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Mwenezi East) and ex-Energy minister Dzikamai Mavhaire (Masvingo Central) are among those targeted for the action.
In summons filed at the High Court last year, Parliament seeks to recover a total of $258 809 in unpaid vehicle loans advanced to the legislators during their terms of office.
Last year, Zanu PF Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka asked Parliament to give rural legislators at least two cars, arguing that most of the lawmakers become destitute following the expiry of their terms.
The former police spokesperson said the welfare of parliamentarians “must be taken seriously”. “… members who represent constituencies deep down in the rural areas and, I am one of them . . . have bad roads to the extent that at the expiry of the five-year term, I will be having no Ford Ranger at all,” said Mandipaka then. “We cannot be destitute after leaving this Parliament. “So, we pray that the budget for this august House is going to be raised so that we are catered for. “So, all it means is that if perhaps we get two or more vehicles, we will be able to access rugged terrains”.
Limpopo: 2 BURNT TO DEATH IN TAXI CRASH!
TWO taxi drivers were burnt beyond recognition when a VW Crafter and a Toyota Quantum collided on Monday morning.
According to police investigations, the VW Crafter was travelling from Polokwane towards Lephalale with one passenger, when it collided head on with a white Toyota Quantum from the opposite direction.
“Both vehicles caught fire on impact and the two drivers were burnt beyond recognition. A 29-year-old female passenger was transported to hospital with severe burn wounds,” Police spokesperson Brigadier Mojapelo said.
Mojapelo said the deceased’s names will be released as soon as their positive identification has been made and their next of kin notified.
Ghana: 2 feared dead in gory accident near Nsawam
January 31st, 2018
Two persons are feared dead with several others injured in a gory Tuesday morning accident at Okanta Number 1 in the Nsawam Adoagyir Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The two were among four persons who were in a Toyota Hiace vehicle with registration number GN 5664-17 driving from Accra to Kumasi, when the car collided with a VVIP bus from Kumasi to Accra with registration number GT 6417-10.
Last week, 9 others lost their lives in a similar accident at Teacher Mante on the same Accra Kumasi stretch.
3 dead in Yutong Bus crash on Accra-Kumasi Highway
Three persons also died on the spot when a Yutong bus on which they were travelling from Kumasi to Accra, crashed into a Man diesel trailer truck at Asuboi near Suhum on the Accra Kumasi Highway on January 16, 2018.
Over the weekend, four persons also died in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, when an ambulance run into an articulated truck.
The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, told Citi News that the other injured passengers have been sent to the Suhum Government Hospital for treatment.
By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
2 JMPD officers killed after drunk driver crashes into roadblock
31st January 2018 Nation Nyoka
Two JMPD officers died after a drunk driver crashed into them. (Supplied)
Johannesburg – Two female Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers were killed when a drunk driver drove into them, causing a multiple vehicle crash at a roadside checkpoint on Witkoppen Road, in Fourways, Johannesburg, on Monday evening.
The driver was arrested and taken to Sandton police station, after blood samples were taken. The two officers were declared dead at the scene by Netcare 911 paramedics.Two passengers and a driver in a separate car were seriously injured when the driver of the Toyota Hilux double cab bakkie drove into a group of officers, as well as a Hyundai.
Two other female officers, as well as the drivers of a BMW and Porsche – which had been stopped by the officers – were slightly injured.
At a loss for words “Three passengers from a stationary vehicle were rescued by the fire department and assessed on scene, one passenger sustained severe injuries and the rest minor to moderate injuries.
Nigeria: Road crash claims 20 lives
30th January 2018 by APA News
Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday confirmed that 20 people were killed in a road accident along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway on Sunday night.The Sector Commander of FRSC in Kaduna, Mr. Umar Ibrahim, said that the accident occurred at about 7 pm at Dutse u-turn, 22km from Kaduna metropolis.
Ibrahim explained that the accident involved a white DAF articulated vehicle with registration number AJG118XA and a white Toyota HAICE bus with registration number XA866MLF.
He said that the 16 seater-bus, was overloaded with 30 passengers, 29 males and a female going to the southern part of the country. According to him, the accident occurred when the truck, coming from Abuja axis tried to make a U-turn at Dutse when the bus coming from Kaduna axis ram into it, killing 17 people on the spot. “Ten others sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital by the FRSC official where three of them also died,” he said.
Ibrahim said that the truck was going to convey cows from a broken down truck close to the accident scene. He said that the number of the deaths was high because the bus was “extremely overloaded”.
According to him, the accident caused a gridlock that lasted for about four hours and “we had to divert traffic to single lane before we were able to clear the wreckage and allow free flow of traffic”.
Fatal crash next to the Tzaneen Showgrounds in Mopani district, Limpopo
30th January 2018
Next to Tzaneen Showgrounds in Mopani district, a Toyota recovery motor vehicle collided head-on with an oncoming VW
Crash between bus and taxi kills 14 injures 22 in Algeria
Late in….30th January 2018
Trailer Crushes Five, As Two Others Die In Ondo Auto Crash
29th January 2018
Scene of the accident
The university community of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, was thrown into mourning yesterday as a trailer lost control and rammed into a roadside market.
An eyewitness, Mr. Muritala Rauf, recounted that the truck, which was coming from Ikare axis of the road, lost control while its driver was attempting to dodge a car near the market.
Rauf disclosed that the incident killed five people instantly while several traders and passersby who were severely injured had been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Another witness, Mrs. Iyabo Adewale, noted that the casualties would have been more than the number recorded if students of Adekunle Ajasin University were not on holiday. She added that men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the police promptly intervened to rescue the victims and forestall any outbreak of law and order in the community.
Another auto crash occurred at Ajebamidele axis of Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway in Odigbo LGA of the state, resulting in the death of two persons. It was gathered that the Ore road accident involved a black SUV and blue Sienna bus, and was caused by reckless overtaking, which led to a head-on collision.
Five perish in road mishap
Five people died on the spot while another five were injured in the early hours of yesterday when a Toyota Granvia they were travelling in burst a rear tyre at the 17km peg along the Bulawayo-Plumtree road. The picture collage shows the damaged vehicle and police officers attending to the scene of the accident
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
FIVE people died yesterday morning in a road accident along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road when a Toyota Granvia they were travelling in burst a rear tyre and overturned near Mbokodo.
Four others were injured with one said to be in a serious condition and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the United Bulawayo Hospitals. Only one escaped with minor bruises and was not taken to hospital.
A source privy to the accident told Sunday News that all the passengers were travelling to Bulawayo from Botswana in a Toyota Granvia when the accident occurred. The source said the vehicle burst its rear left tyre, resulting in the driver losing control.
Bulawayo police could not be drawn into commenting on the issue referring all enquiries to national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi, who was however, not reachable.
“The driver lost control of the vehicle, which then swerved to the left side of the road. He tried to control the vehicle and maintain it on the road but in the process the vehicle overturned and rolled three times, throwing some passengers out while crushing those that were inside,” said the source who witnessed the accident.
The next of kin of the deceased are yet to be advised, with four of them having been positively identified through their passports.
Earlier this month four people died on the spot, after a vehicle they were travelling in sideswiped a haulage truck and then collided head on with another truck along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near Mbembesi.
The driver and three passengers who were travelling to Bulawayo in a Toyota Spacio died on the spot. The Toyota Spacio allegedly encroached onto the lane of the first freightliner truck resulting in a sideswipe and thereafter collided head-on with the second freightliner truck.
30 cheat death in Gweru bus accident
ABOUT 30 people cheated death yesterday after their Kwekwe-bound bus veered off the road and overturned about 7km from the city centre.
The Govasburg bus crew said the accident occurred when the driver lost control of his vehicle while trying to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming
car.
“I saw a car overtaking our bus, but there was oncoming traffic. The (bus) driver applied sudden brakes and the bus swerved to the right lane, veered off the road, hitting two small trees before landing on its right side,” a bus loader who identified himself as Stanley Chimoyo told Southern Eye. “No one was seriously injured except for one woman whose leg was injured when she attempted to save her child. I, however, managed to take out the child who had no injuries before the woman was taken to Gweru General Hospital.”
A police officer who attended the accident scene confirmed that there were no fatalities. Provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende was said to be out of office and unreachable.
One dead, four injured in Cape Town car crash
A man was killed and four other people were injured, some seriously, when the car they were travelling in crashed into a wall on the corner of Mill and Buitenkant streets in Gardens in Cape Town on Saturday morning.
An ER24 paramedic came across the incident at 6am just before her shift started, ER24 spokeswoman Ineke van Huyssteen said.
Upon further assessment, paramedics found a woman, believed to be 19 years old, in a serious condition trapped inside the car. Cape Town Metro Rescue had to use the jaws-of-life to free the woman.
Four men, believed to be in their 20s, were found outside the car. It was believed that members of the public removed them from the vehicle. “Unfortunately, the one man had succumbed to his injuries and he was declared dead on the scene. The other three men sustained injuries ranging from moderate to serious.”
Ghana: Four die in accident at Biahu
28th January 2018
One of the cars involved in the accident
The four were said to have died instantly when the ambulance on which they were travelling collided with a heavy-duty haulage truck at around 1.00 p.m yesterday.
The injured, who have been identified as Alex Asare, the driver of the ambulance, and one Edith are on admission at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital. Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the hospital morgue, pending autopsy.
Incident: The ambulance got involved in the accident while conveying a patient to the Effia Nkwanta Hospital. The patient, Ben Asafoah, also perished in the crash.
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the accident told the Daily Graphic that the ambulance was travelling from Dixcove to the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in Takoradi. According to them, even though the ambulance had its siren on to warn other road users to make way for it, the heavy-duty haulage truck from Tarkwa ignored the warning, leading to the collision.
“Due to the huge frame of the haulage truck, it had difficulty in responding quickly to the ambulance’s siren to move aside. “As it were, it collided head-on with the ambulance in spite of attempts by the driver of the ambulance to avoid hitting the truck,” the witnesses said.
Accident claims 5 near Bulawayo
Five people have died and five others injured in a road traffic accident that happened last night along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Highway.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police said the accident happened when a Toyota Granvia vehicle with Botswana registration number plates burst its rear tyre before it veered off the road where it overturned several times.
The police said 5 people died on the spot after sustaining head injuries, and their bodies were conveyed to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary for post-mortem, while the injured are receiving treatment at the same hospital.
The names of the deceased will be released in due course once their next of kin are advised.
The police warned motorists to travel and at safe speeds, use roadworthy vehicles, avoid overloading vehicles and desist from driving without drivers licence.
Four killed in car accident in Ghana
27th January 2018
ACCRA, — Four people were feared dead in an accident on Friday at Beahu, a community in the southwest of Ghana, some 230 km away from the capital Accra.
The accident occurred when a truck said to be conveying a consignment of manganese to the mining town of Tarkwa rammed into an ambulance which had six persons on board, police confirmed to local media.
Two of the passengers who survived the accident are receiving treatment at a nearby health facility, reports said.
The accident comes just a day after 10 people were killed in a horrific crash at Teacher-Mantey near Nsawam, 37km northeast of Accra.
Kirinyaga leaders hold cleansing prayer
27th January 2018
An increase in the number of road accidents along the Sagana Kutus road has prompted the area leaders to seek divine intervention in what they hope will cleanse it of “evil spirits”. The interdenominational prayers were held barely 24 hours after a Boda Boda rider was killed in a road crash on the same road. The prayers were characterized by calls for motorists to exercise caution as the area is considered a black spot.
Mnangagwa declares Tsholotsho accident ‘state of disaster’ 55 days later
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday officially declared a state of disaster within Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North province, following an accident that killed 21 Government workers on December 2 last year. It’s not clear why he waited 55 days to do so.
The declaration was announced by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo in a Government gazette yesterday. “It is hereby notified that His Excellency the President, in terms of Section 27 (1) of the Civil Protection Act (Chapter 10:06), declared that as a result of the Lorry Accident (a road accident that occurred on the 2nd of December, 2017, in Tsholotsho District) a state of disaster exists within the Tsholotsho District of Matabeleland North Province with effect from 3rd December, 2017,” said Minister Moyo.
The accident, which killed 21 health workers and injured 48 others, occurred at around 4pm at the 35km peg along the Tsholotsho-Sipepa Road near Jimila Centre. The victims were members of a Ministry of Health and Child Care malaria control programme team that was on duty in Matabeleland North province.
That the health workers were crammed into a UD truck that overturned, killing them, has been contrasted with Mnangagwa’s government splashing millions on buying Isuzu twin-cab vehicles for nearly 300 chiefs across the country in a blatant vote-buying gimmick ahead of elections in 5 months.
Ghana: 61 die through road crashes in Upper West Region in 2017
Various road traffic accidents that occurred in the Upper West Region in 2017 claimed a total of 61 lives resulting in an increase from the 54 persons that were killed in 2016.
Total number of fatal cases also increased from 48 in 2016 to 54 in 2017 while total number of persons injured again increased from 240 to 276 respectively.
Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Samad, Upper West Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) disclosed this at a press briefing in Wa on Wednesday. Total number of serious cases decreased from 72 cases in 2016 to 53 cases in 2017, he said adding that total number of minor cases however increased from 39 to 43 in respectively.
He said total number of cases reported however decreased from 159 cases in 2016 to 147 cases in 2017 with total number of vehicles involved also decreasing from 246 to 221 respectively. He disclosed that the total number of pedestrian knockdowns also decreased from 30 cases in 2016 to 16 cases in 2017.
Mr. Abdul-Samad explained that the closure of the Yapei and Buipe bridges on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 to vehicular traffic to make way for rehabilitation could account for the increase in some of the statistics recorded in the region for 2017. He explained further that the closure of the bridges forced a diversion of vehicular traffic through the Upper West Region, thereby, increasing pressure on the roads leading to some accidents.
The NRSC Upper West Regional Manager said before then, the region had recorded a decrease in all categories of the statistics, adding that but for the diversion they would not have been any significant changes in the statistics.
Mr. Abdul-Samad was happy that there was a significant decrease in pedestrian knockdown and attributed it to the intensified public and institutional education and sensitisation campaign activities carried out by the Commission especially in schools during the year.
He cited interference in the enforcement of road traffic regulations as one of the major challenges in the region and pleaded with political leadership and other influential persons in society to desist from the act to allow adequate enforcement for public compliance.
Mr. Abdul-Samad said the Commission would continue to carry out its education and sensitisation campaigns in the region to ensure public awareness and compliance with road traffic regulations so that lives and property would be protected for a better society.
Western Cape road traffic fatalities down by 4.3% in 2017
26th January 2018 Holly Charlton
Cape Town – New data from Forensic Pathology Services in the Western Cape indicates that 59 fewer deaths occurred on the province’s roads in 2017 compared to the previous year.
Farrel Payne, director of provincial traffic services, said the number of recorded road traffic fatalities in the Western Cape dropped from 1 374 to 1 315, which amounted to a 4.3% decrease.
Payne added that the past weekend’s number of road fatalities was one of the lowest ever recorded.
“Five people were killed on Western Cape roads over the weekend, compared to an average of 15 fatalities every weekend in 2017,” he said.
Payne attributed these improvements to enhancements in integrated planning and praised the commitment shown by law enforcement agencies and municipalities.
He added that strengthened partnerships with South Africa’s national roads agency, Sanral, the Safely Home campaign and “engineering colleagues across the province are clearly bearing fruit”, he added.
Payne warned all road users to exercise caution on the roads and for motorists to avoid drinking and driving.
17 people were injured this morning when a bakkie and light motor vehicle collided, Gallo Manor
25 Jan 2018, Johannesburg: Seventeen people were left injured this morning when a bakkie and light motor vehicle collided at the Kelvin and Bowling Road intersection in Gallo Manor, Johannesburg.
ER24 Paramedics, along with other services, arrived on the scene to find the light motor vehicle in the middle of the intersection while the bakkie was found further down the road, lying on its side.
Upon closer inspection, paramedics discovered a number of patients walking around on the scene. It is believed that a number of people had been seated on the back of the bakkie when the collision occurred.
Paramedics assessed the patients and found that seventeen had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
The patients were treated for their injuries and were thereafter transported by various services to nearby hospitals.
The local authorities were on the scene and will be conducting an investigation into this incident.
Eight family members killed in crash
Durban – “The people who died here all lived in one house, that house will be closed now.”
The shattered wreck of the VW Golf in which the eight family members were travelling. Picture: Arrive Alive
That was the heartbreaking reaction of Roland Harry, a close relative of members of the Mahabeer family who perished in a horror accident on Sunday night. The family is from Northdale in Pietermaritzburg. Eight family members, aged between 4 and 52 were wiped out when a car they were travelling in, a Golf 1, collided head on with a Ford Ranger on the N2 near Umzumbe.
The driver of the Ford Ranger has been arrested, accused of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Eight family members, aged between 4 and 52 were wiped out when a car they were travelling in collided head on with a Ford Ranger on the N2 near Umzumbe. The victims included Veroshnie Ramparsad and her husband Mitchell Roland Mahabeer. Picture: Supplied
Among those who died are three adults, Veroshnie Ramparsad, her husband Mitchell Roland Mahabeer, her mother Loraine, and Mitchell’s brother Jesse. Veroshnie’s four children Isabella, Titus, Hannah and Liya, aged between 4 and 12, also died.
Pictures of the accident scene showed the impact of the collision. The front of the white single cab Ford Ranger was destroyed and the VW was completely mangled, signalling the force of the impact.
The family was coming back from a weekend break on the South Coast where they had been visiting other family members. The news of the death shocked many of the couple’s friend who expressed their condolences on Veroshnie’s facebook page. Harry said the broader family was devastated and hoped that the law would take its course. “Our family is taking this very badly,” he said.
“There was nothing left of the car my cousins were travelling in. There is no way anyone could have survived that collision,” he said. “Where the accident happened, the section of the freeway has no centre median,” he said.
He described the deceased as good people. “They were very good, hard-working people. Today was supposed to be a normal day for them, they were supposed to be going back to work and the children would have been going to school,” said Harry.
MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mxolisi Kaunda said in a statement he has instructed a team of forensic experts to fast-track investigations. “The driver of the bakkie escaped the crash unharmed, but was found to have consumed alcohol exceeding the legal limit. He was apprehended on scene and taken to Hibberdene SAPS where appropriate charges will be drawn against him,” said Kaunda in a statement.
“It is always worrying to experience a loss of so many lives in one crash. It is mostly disturbing to note that four of the deceased are children,” he continued.
Kaunda decried continued disregard for life shown by drivers who drink and drive or speed. “On behalf of the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal, we wish to send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the deceased,” he said. SAPS spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said charges of culpable homicide and drunken driving are being investigated by Southport SAPS.
“A 63-year-old driver was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of liquor and culpable homicide,” she said.
Around 100 schoolchildren injured in Westonaria bus crash
25th January 2018 Jenni Evans
Johannesburg – At least 100 schoolchildren were injured, some seriously, in a crash between a school bus and a truck in Westonaria on Tuesday, Gauteng paramedics said.
ER24 spokesperson Ineke van Huyssteen said when paramedics arrived at the scene, to the far south-west of Johannesburg, just before 16:00, children between the ages of eight and 14 were lying injured over a wide area.
One boy, estimated to be around 13-years-old, was so seriously injured that he had to be airlifted by an ER24 emergency helicopter for further treatment.
The cause of the collision between the two vehicles on the N12 was not immediately clear.
5 SA cops nabbed for smuggling stolen cars to Zimbabwe
SOUTH Africa’s organised crime unit, the Hawks have arrested nine people including five policemen and one immigration officer from the neighbouring country on corruption charges, fraud and smuggling of stolen vehicles into Zimbabwe.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo province, Captain Matimba Maluleke said the suspects were arrested on Monday and Tuesday during an operation code named “Mirror.” He said the group had been under surveillance for two years. “The nine suspects aged between 32 to 51, including five police officers and a Home Affairs official were arrested on January 22 and 23 in Limpopo for alleged corruption, fraud and smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles out of South Africa, “said Captain Maluleke.
“The arrests are a culmination of a Hawks’ investigative project dubbed “Mirror” aimed at addressing corrupt and illegal activities which includes, smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles through Beitbridge Border Post. “The five police officers who were stationed at Tom Burke SAPS and the border post as well as the home affairs official and three runners, were under Hawks’ radar since 2016 following complaints from members of the public,” said Captain Maluleke.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly forged documents to facilitate the smuggling of stolen vehicles through the Beitbridge Border Post. Captain Maluleke said one of the police officers, Sergeant Israel Mandiwana who is stationed at Beitbridge has since appeared before a Makhado magistrate’s court.
Mandiwana was remanded in custody to February 1 for bail application. Captain Maluleke said Mandiwana’s accomplices will appear in different courts today. “We are not leaving any stone unturned as we seek to reduce cases of cross border crimes relating to smuggling and theft of motor vehicles,” he said.
More than 40 people have been arrested in the last 12 months for smuggling stolen vehicles into Zimbabwe from the neighbouring country through the Limpopo River. The smuggling of vehicles between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s border is rife amid reports that most of the cars are destined for Tanzania and Malawi while others find their way into the local market.
Five people die after oil tanker crashes into Tuk Tuk in Kisumu
Author: Linda Shiundu
Five people have died and others nursing injuries in Kisumu County following a freak road accident – An oil tanker fell on a Tuk Tuk full of passengers at Kachok after the driver lost control ofthe vehicle Five people died and several others injured on Tuesday, January 23 following a grisly road accident at Kachok in Kisumu County.
Eye witness reported that an oil tanker fell on a Tuk Tuk which was full of passengers after it hit a pavement.
According to a report by Standard, the driver of the tanker that was driving towards Kisumu lost control of the vehicle before falling on its side. Police had to fire shots in the air to scare off a huge crowd that gathered at the scene to siphon oil.
The injured including a few months old baby were rushed to Kisumu County Hospital. TUKO.co.ke is following up on the developing story for more details.
Report Warns Traffic Deaths Hurt Developing Economies
Traffic accidents that result in deaths are individual tragedies that also hurt a country’s economy. A new report from the World Bank says these deaths are a barrier to economic growth in developing countries.
The report is one of several reports showing that investing in road safety in low- and middle-income countries could raise national incomes.
Worldwide, about 1.25 million people die in traffic accidents each year. The report says about 90 percent of those deaths happen in developing countries. The World Health Organization says that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death worldwide for people between the ages of 15 and 29. That includes crashes that kill people who are walking, riding bicycles or other small vehicles.
But World Bank transportation expert Dipan Bose says the issue does not get enough attention. He told VOA, “There is not a lot of political will in many low- and middle-income countries to take definitive action to reduce road deaths and injuries.”
Read complete article at https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/traffic-deaths-hurt-developing-economies/4205669.html
Man injured in fatal bus crash wants $35 000
By Mashudu Netsianda 
A Zambian man who lost three fingers after a Bulawayo-bound Bravo bus he was travelling in was involved in an accident that killed three people on the spot, is suing the bus company and its driver for $35 000.
The incident occurred on November 28 in 2016 shortly after 1AM at the 218km peg along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road. The driver, Mr Brian Mavhima lost control of the bus and it veered off the road and overturned resulting in the death of three passengers. Several other people were injured in the accident.
Mr George Kakoma through his lawyers, Legal Resources Foundation, last week filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Bravo Tours (Pvt) Ltd and Mr Mavhima as defendants.In papers before the court, Mr Kakoma said he suffered permanent disability after three fingers on his left hand were amputated. He is demanding $35 000 from the bus company being damages for pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement, trauma and future medical expenses.
He accused the driver of negligence.“The defendants were negligent in that even when they were aware that the vehicle was defective and unroadworthy, they went on to load and transport passengers from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo. The second defendant (Mr Mavhima) despite being aware of the defect went on to drive such a bus,” he said. Mr Kakoma said he sustained injuries on his left hand which resulted in his three fingers being amputated.
“On examination, the plaintiff’s injury was rated at 55 percent functional disability. By reason of the defendants’ vehicle, plaintiff suffered damages in the sum of $35 000 for permanent disability, future medical expenses, pain and suffering,” he said. “Wherefore plaintiff prays for $35 000 being total amount of damages suffered.”
The bus company is yet to respond.
Last year, a Bulawayo man whose seven year-old daughter was also injured during the same accident filed a $170 000 lawsuit against the bus company for damages in medical and hospital expenses incurred. The Chronicle
Bulawayo-Plumtree highway fencing starts
GOVERNMENT has started work on the erection of a fence along the Bulawayo –Plumtree highway with workers already on the ground.
Last week, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development recruited 39 people, mostly Plumtree residents for the job.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) managing director Mr Obio Chinyere confirmed that they have started working on the Bulawayo-Plumtree highway fencing project.
“The work has started and personnel are on the ground as I speak, clearing the bush and also digging holes where we will put poles. It was supposed to be normal work but we have since put it under the 100 days projects. We are busy making sure that in the next 100 days the work will be finished,” said Mr Chinyere. “So we have earnestly started the programme to fence the highway which we are going to complete with speed. I can confirm that indeed we are now in full swing.”
The $320 000 fencing project was supposed to have been completed at the end of last month but was delayed due to price hikes. The price hikes madness prompted Government to give the parastatal the green light to import the required materials directly from South Africa.
The TSCZ embarked on the highway fencing project last year as part of measures to reduce accidents on the country’s highways caused by stray animals. The highway fencing programme started with the erection of the Bulawayo-Gweru Highway fence.
A number of people have died on the country’s highways in accidents caused by animals that stray onto roads. For example, in 2013, National Railways of Zimbabwe general manager and freedom fighter Air Commodore Mike Tichafa Karakadzai (Retired) died after the car he was driving hit a stray cow at the 79km peg along the Gweru-Bulawayo road just after the Shangani Mine turn-off flyover.
Concerns have also been raised over the neglect of the Bulawayo –Plumtree Highway due to the absence of road markings and road signs in some parts.
One person killed in a Joburg bus crash involving 4 cars
23rd January 2018
INJURED PASSENGERS TRAPPED IN JOGOO ROAD ACCIDENT WRECKAGE
Jan 23, 2018
Three passengers are trapped in the wreckage of a matatu that was involved in a nasty accident on Jogoo Road on Monday.
The accident involved multiple vehicles that were heading to the city centre on the busy road. The passengers had boarded the matatu that belongs to Risen Sacco in Komarock. Its driver lost control and hit a matatu that was in front of it, which in turn hit a truck.
The accident has caused a major traffic snarl up on the road.
Police, motorists and Good Samaritans are helping to rescue the trapped passengers.
Uganda: Seven perish in weekend road accidents
People looking at the truck which cliamed one person and injured five others in Nyendo Town. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER KISEKKA
At least seven People have been confirmed dead in four separate accidents along different highways in the central region. Three of the accidents happened in Wamala Sub-region on Saturday claiming six people, four of whom are believed to be of the same family.
The first accident occurred along Kiboga – Kampala highway when the driver of a starlet Reg No. UAH 145C travelling from Kasanga to Kampala lost control and knocked a motorcyclist who was riding in the opposite direction.
“The rider identified as Kabugu Joseph, 34, resident of Kiryokya Mityana died on arrival at Bukomero health centre IV and his passenger (not yet identified) was referred to Mulago national referral hospital,” Mr Nobert Ochom, the Wamala Sub Region police spokesperson, noted adding that after the accident, the driver took off.
The second accident took place at about 2 pm on the same day in Kyankwanzi District at Misago trading centre when the driver of a Fuso truck registration no. UBB 826T lost control and knocked a bicycle before running over Musasizi Tracey, 08, who was on the bike. The deceased’s body was taken to Kiboga referral hospital mortuary pending postmortem and the driver, Kalema Joshua, was arrested.
Road accidents are caused by recklessness and speeding
MONDAY JANUARY 22 2018
Public Service CS Sicily Kariuki comforts Ms Lucy Muthoni at the Nyahururu county Referral Hospital on January 16, 2018. Ms Muthoni survived an accident at Ndaragwa that claimed nine lives. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A total of 78 people — among them the widow of former Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko — died in accidents on roads in Kericho alone in 2017. A further 49 sustained serious injuries, while 12 were slightly injured, said a police report.
Kericho County Commander James Mugera told the Nation that most accidents are caused by indisciplined drivers who overtake carelessly, use wrong lanes and dangerously join roads at junctions. “Speed is not one of the main causes of accidents in Kericho. It’s purely driver carelessness. Drivers break traffic rules knowingly,” said the officer.
Mrs Ouko died after her vehicle, being driven by her son, veered off the road at the Muhoroni junction and rolled several times. A few kilometres from the scene, nine passengers, including a four-year-old girl, perished on August 6, following a head-on collision between a 14-seater matatu and a lorry at Nyaberia corner, near Kipsitet trading centre.
Former Roads minister Franklin Bett, who arrived at the scene, said the accident could have been prevented. “The lorry driver learnt of the brake failure several kilometres away, but continued driving. The behaviour in our roads is very wanting,” said Mr Bett.
OVERLOADED PROBOX In Kisii County, residents have complained of overloaded Probox cars plying various routes contributing to accidents.
At the Kisii bus terminus, investigations by the Nation revealed that a number of 14-seater matatus, especially those heading to Migori and Sirare, carry up to 18 passengers. This is done by placing wooden planks, known as sambaza, between seats to create more sitting space.
Anyone who refuses to sit on them is thrown out by the rowdy touts. Inside the matatus, most of the seats are torn and have faulty or no safety belts. And even when a matatu is full, the touts still call for more customers who will stand at the door. “If you try to oppose that, you will always end up being thrown out of the matatu, so you remain silent,” said Mr John Migiro.
According to a driver who requested for anonymity for fear of victimisation, the crew part with a protection fee of between Sh50 and Sh200 to avoid arrest.
Zimbabwe: MPs to get cars for free
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa says government will in future give legislators free vehicles during their five-year tenures, departing from the current regime where members of Parliament pay for vehicles through their sitting allowance. This would apparently apply for the ninth Parliament to be ushered in after the impending general elections to be held within the next four or five months.
Speaking in the National Assembly during the national budget debate last week, Chinamasa said he will change the Parliamentary Car Scheme to allow MPs to get vehicles for free. In addition, government will give a duty free certificate for legislators to acquire a second vehicle. “With respect to Parliament budget, I have had to personally look into those issues and I want to give these guarantees.
“Firstly, there are two aspects which are the welfare of MPs and the need for resources to discharge their mandate. “With respect to the welfare of MPs, I have committed myself and I want to repeat that when we started the Parliamentary Car Scheme, it was on a loan basis. “I have since converted it to be a free car scheme — you will not be required to pay for that car and I would like to carry that scheme to the next Parliament. “We want to assure each MP a free car,” said the Finance minister.
He said there were also considerations about those MPs with vehicles that normally do not last beyond two years, especially those in rural constituencies.
Regarding these, Chinamasa said government would give them duty free certificates to buy a second vehicle for themselves but that will be done in the third year of an MP’s life in Parliament. “We agreed that those who suffer damage (to their vehicles) through accidents will be allowed free duty to replace the car that they had bought,” he said.
“With respect to the needs of Parliament to carry out its mandate, I want to assure this House that the resources will be provided so that they carry fully their mandate. So far, I am told that we have done our best to meet that responsibility.”
Currently, Parliament gives MPs a choice of one off-road vehicle between a Ford Everest and a Ranger. The MPs currently earn a gross salary of $1 124 per month and $1 046 in representation allowance. Chinamasa’s sentiments come as Parliament filed summons against a number of former legislators who left without servicing their vehicle loans. Former Zanu PF MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Mwenezi East) and ex-Energy minister Dzikamai Mavhaire (Masvingo Central) are among those targeted for the action.
In summons filed at the High Court last year, Parliament seeks to recover a total of $258 809 in unpaid vehicle loans advanced to the legislators during their terms of office.
Last year, Zanu PF Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka asked Parliament to give rural legislators at least two cars, arguing that most of the lawmakers become destitute following the expiry of their terms.
The former police spokesperson said the welfare of parliamentarians “must be taken seriously”. “… members who represent constituencies deep down in the rural areas and, I am one of them . . . have bad roads to the extent that at the expiry of the five-year term, I will be having no Ford Ranger at all,” said Mandipaka then. “We cannot be destitute after leaving this Parliament. “So, we pray that the budget for this august House is going to be raised so that we are catered for. “So, all it means is that if perhaps we get two or more vehicles, we will be able to access rugged terrains”.
Road accidents: 13 dead, 29 injured in 48 hours
ALGIERS- Thirteen people died and 29 others were injured in 13 road accidents that occurred in the last 48 hours in several provinces of the country, according to the Civil Protection’s toll on Saturday.
6 people burnt beyond recognition in kombi crash
Sources who spoke to Bulawayo24.com allege the driver slept there by veering off the road crashing a tree before burning people beyond recognition. When Bulawayo24.com arrived on the scene Mbire legislator Douglas Karoro was busy extinguishing the wreckage.
Confirming the accident Karoro said the whole province is devastated by the incident. “This is devastating for Mbire and Mashonaland Central province as a whole.
“We lost over ten people in this road carnage,” confirmed Karoro.
He further implored drivers to exercise caution on the road before thanking Guruve hospital team who rescued those who survived. The Queen of the road kombi was coming from Chitsungo and was reported to be the first coach apart from the most reliable.
The police were still running around to get information of the accident.
Kenya: Jailing traffic police chiefs will not reduce number of accidents
SATURDAY JANUARY 20 2018
Police officers inspect the wreckage of a truck that overturned at Jolly Farm, near the Sachangwan black spot on Nakuru-Eldoret Highway on March 27, 2016 killing a nine-year-old child and injuring two people. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Were the matter not so grim, one would be amused at the way the authorities are flailing around and coming up with all manner of wild solutions to a problem that has destroyed too many lives for too long — road carnage.
A great deal has been written on the issue of road crashes, especially since December when it is estimated that over 250 lives were lost in this grisly manner. Since then, the toll has gone up and so has the intensity of the blame game.
There would be no point in regurgitating all that has been said by experts, and all the steps the authorities say they have already taken or intend to take to reduce the frequency of road crashes. We have heard them before anyway, and instead of the numbers going down, they have been going up with deadly regularity. All the causes of this gory toll have been enumerated ever since second-hand jalopies started flooding our roads and the matatu culture of total impunity took root.
HUNA ERROR They include human error mainly brought about by ignorance, dangerous and reckless driving, ignoring speed limits or “over-speeding”, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, ignoring traffic signs and fatigue, especially on the part of PSV drivers. Also included in this list are improper or non-existent training, and of course, Kenya’s curse, corruption, which allows murderous contraptions to continue rolling without brakes on our roads.
To give the National Transport and Safety Authority a break, they have been at the receiving end of our collective bile due to the harvest of corpses littering our roads every year (an average of 3,000).
But the real culprits are motorists themselves. We have a penchant for shifting all our individual failures to government agencies as though we cannot think for ourselves and have to be policed all the time. That is why, even when we recklessly bribe our way to untimely death, we always seek the most convenient scapegoat.
Now we have shifted gear and are looking for someone to jail for this recurrent tragedy.
TRAFFIC ACT That would be a very attractive idea if only it could work. It was amusing to hear the chairman of the parliamentary committee on transport warn that Parliament would amend the Traffic Act to ensure traffic police commandants paid dearly for allowing deadly vehicles to ply their routes at top speed. Mr David Pkosing, a man with a serious sense of humour, should think through this idea. There is no point in pushing this kind of ineffectual legislation.
While on the subject of trivial pursuits, it would be interesting to know what informed the decision by the NTSA to discriminate against motorists who are 60 years and above by insisting that they produce a medical certificate every year before they can renew their driving licences.
It would be illuminating to know how NTSA arrived at the conclusion that pensioners deserve being subjected to that kind of treatment. What statistics did they rely on? There are facts about advancing age that cannot be denied. To start with, when you get to a certain age, a few infirmities associated with the years must creep in.
Truck runs over policeman, drags him 40 meters to his death
20th January 2018
G/LCpl Danso Animon’s remains have been deposited at the Trauma hospital at Winneba
A police officer was at dawn of Friday killed after being dragged beneath a cargo truck for about 40 meters at a snap checkpoint at Gomoa Abotsia in the Central Region.
Emmanuel Asamoah, the 43-year old driver of the truck with registration No. GT 6675 – C, who went into hiding initially, has been arrested by the police while the remains of the victim, G/LCpl Danso Animon of the Cape Coast Operations Unit, has been deposited at the Trauma Hospital at Winneba for onward transfer to the Police Hospital in Accra.
According to the police, the fatal accident occurred at about a quarter past midnight while G/LCpl Danso and three others were manning the checkpoint. A police situational report sighted by Graphic Online said the Mercedes Benz cargo truck which was loaded with copra from the Nzema area dangerously and recklessly ran over the metal barricade. The deceased Officer who was then checking vehicles from the Accra direction was run over.
The driver of an oncoming Man Diesel cargo truck with registration No.GR 3284 – Y driven by one Osman Yussif carrying 400 bags of rice from Tema towards Mankessim who saw the Benz truck approach his direction, fell on its right side with the goods while trying to avoid a head-on collision.
It took a heavy duty towing vehicle from Kasoa to restore traffic flow.
Chief crashes ‘Mnangagwa’ car
A Kadoma chief is reported to have crashed his new 4×4 vehicle.
Apparently, the chief is one of the beneficiaries of the 52 cars that were issued by President Mnangagwa last week in Gweru .
Uganda: Three dead, 20 hospitalised in two road accidents
The wreckage of the bus that collided with the bus on the Mbale-Kampala Road. Photo by Yahudu Kitunzi By Felix Ainebyoona,Rajab Mukombozi, Yahudu Kitunzi & Mudangha Kolyanga
Three people have died after a bus they were travelling in rolled at Sanga, Kiruhura District on the Mbarara-Masaka Road. The Rukungiri bound Kasaba Bus overturned at about 12 am on Wednesday.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that the speeding bus developed a mechanical fault before the driver lost control. Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson, Mr Samson Kasasira said a male adult and two juveniles died on the spot.At least 23 people were injured and rushed to health facilities in Lyantonde and Mbarara.
The driver of the bus, Mr Ali Kiguma is on the run.
In a related development, 20 people are receiving treatment at Mbale Referral Hospital after sustaining injuries in an accident that involved a bus and truck on the Mbale- Kampala highway. The accident occurred at about 5am on Wednesday morning after a bus belonging to Good Shepherd Company registration number UAJ 416D collided with a trailer registration number UBA 769F at Nabuyonge Junction on Pallisa Road.
The bus was travelling from Kampala to Soroti. It was carrying 55 passengers, according to police.
Elgon Police spokesperson, Mr Suwed Manshur, said the trailer was heading to Budaka District. “The bus collided with the trailer, leaving over 20 people, who were travelling in the bus, critically injured,” he said. The Mbale district traffic officer, Mr Hadi Seiko attributed the accident to reckless driving. Some of the injured people include among others; Sgt Samuel Opia, attached Mubende Rehabilitation Centre and Cpl Richard Ogwar, attached to Bumbo Barracks.
Others include Wilson Kalende, Hamuza Busika, Jowali Muzila, Fazir Bonny, Rachel Mulombi and Twahilu Muyombya, the conductor of the bus.
Deadliest bus accidents in the past five years
By AFP
The bus fire in Kazakhstan in which 52 people were killed Thursday is among of the deadliest bus accidents in the world over the past five years.
Here are some of the others.
2018 Peru: Fifty-two people die in January when a bus plunges 100 metres (330 feet) over a seaside cliff after colliding with a truck on a precarious stretch of road known as the “devil’s curve”.
The accident is about 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Lima on the Pasamayo coastal highway.
2016 Ghana: A government-operated passenger bus collides head-on with a truck carrying tomatoes in February, leaving 61 people dead and 25 critically hurt.
Investigators say the bus, heading to the northern town of Tamale, appeared to have been speeding. It is reduced to a twisted mess of metal.
Afghanistan: In May at least 73 people are killed when two passenger buses and an oil tanker burst into flames in a head-on collision in the eastern province of Ghazni, near the capital Kabul.
Many of the dead, including women and children, are burned beyond recognition and the vehicles are completely gutted.
2015 Brazil: A tourist bus leaves a twisting mountain road and plunges 400 metres to the bottom of a densely wooded ravine in southern Brazil, leaving 54 people dead.
The accident is near the town of Campo Alegre in the Dona Francisca mountains that attract thousands of tourists a year.
2014 South Sudan: At least 56 people are killed when a bus and a truck collide while crossing a bridge on the main highway south, about 25 kilometres from the capital Juba.
The bus is travelling to Uganda and most of the dead are from that country.
2013 Zambia: Fifty-three people die in a high-speed collision between a bus and a truck in February, 100 kilometres north of the capital Lusaka.
The Zambia Postal Service bus — which also runs passenger transport services — had been taking passengers from the Copperbelt mining province to Lusaka.
‘Everybody is getting it wrong’ on curbing road carnage Matatu owners chair says
19th January 2018
Schoolchildren hurt in Durban taxi crash
Children between ages of six and 15 were involved in a taxi crash on Wednesday in Durban. Photo: Arrive Alive
Road accidents kill 200, injure 996 others in Ogun
By:
A total number of 718 road traffic accidents occurred on roads in Ogun State last year and resulted in injuries to 996 people and death to 200 others.
Among those killed in the accidents were 155males and 45 females while 4,805 persons were rescued unhurt due to quick intervention by Operatives of traffic agencies.
The crashes recorded involved 238 private cars, 48 private buses, 357 commercial buses, 262 commercial cars, 214 motorcycles and 72 tricycles.
Also involved were 95 pickup vans, 167 medium trucks, 96 heavy trucks and 192 other vehicles, according to the Commander, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps(TRACE), ’Seni Ogunyemi.
The TRACE Public Relations Officer, Babatunde Akinbiyi, who made the accident statistics for 2017 known in a release, attributed the causes to over speeding, dangerous driving, bad tyres, driving against traffic and other causes.
Akinbiyi added that 4,297 motor vehicles and 1,275 Motorcycles were apprehended for 6,230 offences during the period and reiterated the resolve of TRACE
“to reduce deaths and injuries on all roads in Ogun State in 2018.”
According to him, this would be pursued vigorously and relentlessly this year such that no traffic offender would go unpunished. He appealed to the motoring public to obey all traffic rules and remember that the Road is patient but does not forgive.
11 killed in NW Tanzania road accident
18th January 2018
ARUSHA, Tanzania, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — At least 11 people have been killed and 6 others injured in a head-on collision between a minibus and two trailer trucks in north-western Tanzania’s region of Kagera, police said on Monday.
Augustine Ollomi, Kagera regional police commander, said in an interview that the accident occurred on Sunday afternoon at around 6 p.m. in Nyangozi, Biharamulo District, about 1,200 km from the country’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
Ollomi said overspeed driving of the minibus was the main cause of the deadly accident, which was heading from Tanzania’s western region of Kigoma to Kahama town in Shinyanga Region, with 16 passengers on board.
Police said that 9 people, including the driver, died on the spot while other 2 passengers died soon after reaching the Biharamulo Designated Hospital.
Ollomi said that the 6 injured people were rushed to the district hospital and were responding well to treatment.
Tears as nine Nyandarua road crash victims are burried
By James Munyeki | Published Wed, January 17th 2018
2 year old Baby Josephine Wambui who died in the fatal crash.She was the only child who perished during the accident.Her mother is admitted at Nakuru PGH hospital
Nine victims of a road crash were buried in Nyandarua County yesterday. The nine, all members of Kiboya Self Help Group, were killed in a freak accident along the Nyeri-Nyahururu road as they returned home from a burial in Mukurwe-ini, Nyeri County.
Hundreds of mourners including leaders from the region attended a joint mass at Ngai Ndeithia Secondary School. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki read President Uhuru Kenyatta’s condolence message. In his speech, the President condoled with the families and promised that the Government would help them in whatever way it could. He gave a personal contribution of Sh500,000.
10 deaths, 23 crashes recorded in Anambra in 2017- FRSC
The Anambra Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said on Tuesday that no fewer than 10 persons lost their lives in 23 road accidents in Anambra in 2017.
The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Anambra, Sunday Ajayi, disclosed the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital.
Mr. Ajayi said that there was a slight drop in the figures last year, compared to 2016, which recorded 11 deaths and 34 crashes. He said that there were seven fatal accidents in the state in 2016 while 2017 recorded five fatal road mishaps. According to him, 191 persons were involved in the 2017 road accidents, as against 275 recorded in 2016, adding that 43 were injured last year while 99 got injured in 2016.
The figures showed that 40 vehicles were involved in the recorded crashes last year, while 63 vehicles were affected in 2016. “The reduction in the number of accidents recorded in 2017, as opposed to that recorded in 2016 in the state, is attributable to the robust public enlightenment and rule enforcement,” he said.
He commended all stakeholders including motorists, who assisted in ensuring safe motoring environment in the state in 2017. Mr. Ajayi, who described the Christmas and the New Year patrols in Anambra as successful, lauded the national and zonal offices of the NYSC for providing logistics which made their task easy.
He said that the officers and men in the sector command were well equipped for effective traffic management while the petrol scarcity experienced in December also aided their job.
“While not advocating fuel scarcity, I must say that it significantly reduced our burden because the number of vehicles on the road was not as it used to be during that time of the year.
60 escape death as FRSC van, truck, buses crash
At least 60 passengers and motorists yesterday escaped death in an accident which occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The accident involved a trailer belonging to Dangote Group, a pick up van belonging to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), four cars and three buses. Four persons sustained injuries. The accident occurred on the Kara Bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, causing gridlock, which extended to Ojota in Lagos.
The cars and buses were seriously damaged, while blood of those who were injured littered the road. Policemen, officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and those of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) were on ground to rescue trapped victims and to clear the road of obstruction. Witnesses blamed the FRSC officials for the crash. One of them alleged that the FRSC officials were chasing a commercial bus which caused the accident.
The FRSC officials hurriedly left the scene to avoid mob action. A witness, who identified himself simply as George, said four people who were wounded had been taken to the hospital.
He said: “The accident was caused by the FRSC officials, who were pursuing a bus before a moving truck belonging to Dangote Group ran into them, causing multiple accident.” One of the survivors, who was in a Corolla car, Ihioma Eze, said she was sleeping when she suddenly heard a noise of other passengers, yelling for help. She said: “Before I asked what was happening, our driver, who was trying to manoeuvre, was hit from the rear by a bus. I just thank God that I escaped death this Monday morning.”
Mixed reaction as CS Macharia retains jobs amid road carnage
16th January 2018
To some it was a disappointment as the news of his reappointment was received with disbelief with many expecting that the timing of the announcement would work against Macharia – at a time the country was experiencing baffling cases of road carnage.
It was not to be the case though, when Kenyatta stepped out from the walls of State House to address the nation – Macharia was number three on the list of the Cabinet Secretaries who had been retained. While making the announcement, Kenyatta was very categorical and clear that he expected nothing less than pure delivery from the men and women that would make it into his Cabinet.
Matatu Association Chairman Simon Kimutai while expressing confidence towards Macharia’s reappointment believes that Macharia will be able to restore sanity in the transport sector adding that Kenyans should be patient with him and allow him to work. “I am very confident that the minister will be able to execute his role with the seriousness it demands and in my own assessment the President was right in retaining him in his Cabinet. Given time, I strongly believe that Macharia will be able to do what he knows best,” said Kimutai.
Kimutai who seemed to absolve the CS from any blame of failing to do enough to curb the rising cases of road accidents in the country said the CS was not entirely to blame for the carnage. “Macharia is very consistent in what he does and with time his efforts will be seen by the public. He always tries to gather different stakeholders in the sector and have discussions with them on how the sector can be improved,” said Kimutai.
A series of road accidents that claimed hundreds of lives were witnessed during last year’s festivities with many questioning what the CS was doing to avert the situation.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and a member of the Senate Roads and Transport Committee believes that Macharia should have been dropped as a minister saying that he lacks the professional touch in the manner in which he handles affairs at the ministry. “His casual approach to issues is so worrying and begins to raise question about his capacity to deal with matters transport,” said Wambua.
Two die in yet another motorcycle accident
By GEOFFREY KIBISU
Two people died on Sunday in a road accident involving a private vehicle and a boda boda taxi along Kutus-Sagana road in Kirinyaga. The boda boda was carrying four people.
Two survivors were rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital in critical condition following the morning accident.A witness who spoke to the Star said the driver of the private vehicle sped off towards Sagana after the accident. Police have launched a manhunt for the driver. “We have leads, we are going to arrest him so that he can assist us with investigations” said Peter Macharia, a police officer in the area.
The witness identified as Mugo said the rider of the motorbike hit a pot hole and lost control before colliding with the car. Among the dead is Titus Kangara, a son to Jubilee Party vice chairman in Kirinyaga Mureithi Kangara. The other is believed to be an administration police officer. The bodies of the deceased were moved to Kibugi funeral home in Kutus.
The accident happens just a few days after five family members died in an accident that involved a car and a motorbike in Kakamega. On Saturday, three people died at Emali along Mombasa road in an accident involving a Toyota bro box and a Chania bus.Cases of road accidents have been rampant in the recent months with the month of December alone registering over 300 deaths.
4 People killed after bus rammed into a stalled lorry in Wajir
15th January 2018 KTN Newsdesk
Onitsha: Five feared dead in multiple accident
No fewer than five persons were feared dead in a multiple accident in Anambra State. The accident involved an articulated vehicle, a tipper, a commercial bus owned by Onitsha South Mass Transport Company and a car.
An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria that the accident occurred at about 6.00 a.m. on Sunday near Ziks Roundabout, along the Onitsha – Enugu Expressway, Onitsha. The source said the unmarked articulated vehicle allegedly drove into the expressway carelessly and ran into the oncoming tipper and other vehicles.
According to the source, the tipper lost control and hit the commercial bus and other vehicles on the road while trying to dodge the articulated vehicle. The source said five persons died on the spot while many others sustained serious injuries.
“Personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and that of Willie Work Force (WWF) were those who later took the dead and wounded to hospital,” the source added. NAN reports that the affected vehicles, which caused obstruction on the expressway were towed away by the FRSC. When contacted, the state FRSC Sector Commander, Sunday Ajayi, said efforts to get the detail from his officials proved abortive.
“I just want to advise road users to exercise extreme caution as they ply the roads and to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape before setting out on any journey,” Mr. Ajayi said. NAN further gathered that a similar accident involving three vehicles also occurred by New Tyre Market along the Onitsha – Awka expressway on Saturday afternoon. Sources also said the accident allegedly left two persons in a commercial bus dead on the spot while many sustained injuries.
Two dead, six seriously injured in Mombasa Road accident
By Steve Nzioka | January 14th 2018
The mangled wreckage at the scene of accident
Two people have died on the spot, six others seriously injured following an accident that happened shortly after 4:30pm Saturday, January 13 involving a probox and a Chania Executive bus.
The accident occurred at Oloitoktok junction along Mombasa-Nairobi highway some meters to Emali Bridge. According to a witness account, Mr. Alfred Mutuku, an employee of Standard Gauge Railway, Emali station, the bus was headed to Nairobi from Mombasa and the probox was from Sultan to Masimba. “The accident happened at the Oloitoktok junction some meters to the Emali Bridge where out of the four occupants in the probox, two people were pulled out dead with the other two had critical injuries”, said Mr. Mutuku.
The fatalities were the probox driver identified as Isaak kiio, and unidentified woman about 30 years. A Police report from Emali AP post, reported that the bus had thirty six occupants at the time of the accident. The report further explained that the probox tried to overtake before meeting the speeding bus head-on. Those injured are receiving treatment at Kilome Nursing Home.
Three persons die in multiple Accident along Benin-Ore road
JANUARY 14, 2018 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS
Three persons have died in a multiple accident along the Benin-Ore road, newsmen report. The accident which occurred very close to the Ovia river involved four trucks. According to a witness , one of the trucks with diesel was said to have run into another truck conveying iron rods. Two other trucks ran into them to cause a traffic gridlock on the road.
An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who spoke to newsmen confirmed the deaths and said that two of the corpses had already been evacuated to a morgue. He also said that the accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday (today), adding that the fourth driver was seriously injured and has been taken to the hospital.
Poor road designs to blame for fatalities
SATURDAY JANUARY 13 2018
Wreckage of a bus that was involved in a crash at Sachangwan, Nakuru County, on December 12, 2017. A new report says poor road design rather than reckless driving in developing countries is to blame for the high number of deaths and injuries. PHOTO | JOHN NJOROGE | NATION MEDIA GROUPThe Safe and Sustainable: A Vision and Guidance for Zero Road Deaths, study released last week by the World Resources Institute and the World Bank, says that about 1.25 million people are killed and millions others injured in road accidents every year, but the numbers of could be significantly lower if the roads were properly designed to prevent or reduce fatalities after human error. According to the report, the most effective way to prevent traffic deaths is adopting a “safe systems” approach.
Data from 53 countries shows that approach which is built on the premise that human error is inevitable but traffic fatalities and serious injuries are not, achieved both the lowest rates of traffic deaths and the largest reductions in fatalities over 20 years, and could save a million lives per year if all countries adopted it.
Safe system approach “We can dramatically reduce and eventually eliminate road crash fatalities if we follow a Safe System approach,” said the head of the World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility, Soames Job.
The report recommends city and road planners to, among other things, design roads to move traffic at appropriate speeds, apply design techniques to control speeds and improve visibility at intersections, physically separate highways in urban areas from pedestrians.
Mugwadi fined $250 for culpable homicide
Musician Tererai Mugwadi, who was convicted of culpable homicide after she was involved in an accident that killed one person was yesterday fined $250 by a Chitungwiza court. Mugwadi (32) of Stapleford, Mount Hampden in Harare, denied the charges when she appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso.
Mr Mudzongachiso, however, found her guilty after a full trial and fined her $250. She will spend two months in prison if she fails to pay.
In passing sentence, Mr Mudzongachiso said Mugwadi’s driving was not so dangerous as to warrant the cancellation of her driver’s licence. Prosecuting, Mr Edmond Ndambakuwa told the court that a deterrent sentence was appropriate, especially in cases that involved loss of human life.
“She was involved in a head-on collision, causing the death of one person and injuring three other passengers from another vehicle. “Precious life is being lost due to such negligence and it is my plea that a deterrent sentence be passed and her licence be cancelled or barred from driving for a period not exceeding a year,” he said.
However, Mugwadi’s lawyer successfully argued in mitigation that a custodial sentence wasn’t appropriate since she was not only asthmatic, but had two young children who look up to her.
One Critically Injured in Mpigi Fuel Tanker Explosion
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fuel tanker which was destined for Mbarara overturned when the driver attempted to avoid a head-on collision with a Kampala bound Fuso truck registration number UAY 373W.
Fuso truck was also burnt. Kayima says only truck driver identified as Muhammad Muga was injured critically and rushed to Mengo hospital where he is admitted.
“The driver of the fuel tanker and turn man are safe. Their identities will be soon given,” Kayima said. He says a team from the Police Fire and Rescue services has maintained its presence at the scene.
6 killed in Potchefstroom crash
12 Jan 2018 Holly Charlton
Potchefstroom – Six people were killed and three others injured during a head-on collision on the N12 highway, roughly 15km outside of Potchefstroom, paramedics said on Thursday.
Paramedics and other emergency service officials arrived at the accident scene just before midnight on Wednesday and found a bakkie and a second vehicle, both of which were significantly damaged, obstructing the road, ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said in a statement.
Three people were found inside the bakkie and six inside the second vehicle.
“Paramedics assessed the patients in the [second vehicle] …and found that two men, a woman and two children, aged between three and four, had all sustained numerous injuries and showed no signs of life,” said Meiring. “They were declared dead at the scene as nothing could be done for them.”
Of the three men paramedics found inside the bakkie, two sustained moderate injuries while the third was later declared dead at the scene. Paramedics provided advanced life support intervention to a woman, the sixth patient in the second vehicle, who was found in a critical condition.
She was airlifted by a private medical helicopter to Lenmed Randfontein for urgent treatment. The remaining two injured patients were transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital, Meiring said.
Nmibia:Two die in car crash near Arandis
by Adam Hartman
Erastus Iikuyu
TWO people, including an 11-year-old girl, died when the car they were travelling in overturned near Arandis on Tuesday.
A report issued by Erongo crime investigations coordinator, Erastus Iikuyu on Tuesday stated the accident happened around 14h40 on Tuesday, and involved a white Toyota Passo with a Windhoek registration number on its way to Swakopmund with five occupants.
About 36km after Usakos the car’s left rear tyre allegedly burst, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to overturn. Two passengers, Josefina Booisen (28) and Roberta Doeses (11), were killed instantly. The others sustained slight injuries, according to the report.
According to Iikuyu a case of culpable homicide is being investigated.
Statistics provided by the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund to The Namibian yesterday show that 53 crashes have been recorded since 1 January, with eight people having lost their lives. Of the 53 crashes, 11 have been in Erongo, claiming three lives.
Five people injured in Lenasia crash, south of Soweto
Paramedics arrived on the scene at around 6pm, and found the two vehicles on the side of the road.
Five people were injured on Thursday, when two cars collided on the K43 in Lenasia, south of Soweto, paramedics said.
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ER24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak said paramedics arrived on the scene at around 6pm, and found the two vehicles on the side of the road.
“One of the vehicles collided with a tree during the collision. Some of the patients were found walking around on the scene when paramedics arrived. Paramedics treated five people on scene and later transported them to a nearby hospital for further care,” Vermaak said. “The exact circumstances surrounding the collision is not yet known. Johannesburg Metro Police attended the scene.”
Eight family members killed in road accident
11th January2018
Central CID boss Gideon Kibunja said the deceased were coming from a burial event in Murang’a when the driver of the bus they were in lost its control before it rolled along the Nyeri-Nyahururu road
Nigerian club footballers involved in auto crash
The players of a newly-promoted Nigeria Professional Football League club, Kwara United FC, were on Wednesday involved in a ghastly accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the players were returning to their base in Ilorin after participating in the just concluded Bet9ja NNL Super 4 tournament held in Lagos.
According to updates by some of the players involved in the auto crash, no life was lost in the accident but a few of the traveling contingent suffered varying degrees of injuries and have since been taken to the hospital
Kwara United are returning to the elite division after two seasons in the second tier.
They were meant to start the new NPFL season with a home game against Niger Tornadoes on Sunday. It is not clear if the game will go ahead as planned.
Revealed: Why Ghana remains under-developed for decades
‘Circle interchange will fail’
The urban transport consultant turned lawyer cautioned that the €75 million Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange project commissioned by former President John Mahama will fail, because it is not being managed according to the expectations of the road design.
“It’s not going to fail because of the road design capacity…but where you have indiscipline people who sell by the road and are allowed to do that especially when it is getting to an election, the road fails not because it is not well designed, but because you are forgetting the context within which the people around work.”
Aerial view of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange
‘Gov’t policies will continue to fail’ He added that the focus of most political parties on the development of policies and programs will continue to birth no development since a major work on the development of the mindset of the citizenry has not been prioritized. He warned that policies will continue to fail if that is not corrected.
“It is a central thing to our nation and we have to deal with it. All that we get from time to time is about policies and they do not work because the attitude of the people is designed to make things fail. That is the fact.”
“For instance, for the transport sector, instead of implementing bus lanes, you encourage people to buy cars. Three cars parked together will occupy the same space as a bus, whereas the bus will take 80 people, the cars will take 15 people and the average occupancy of a car in Accra as far back as 2003 was 2.1, in other words, were are wasting the space.”
“If you go through the entire transport sector, you will see that both the private formalized and public sectors, are seriously encouraging the purchase of cars as an incentive for people. So the system is designed to fail. There is no correlation between the objective of our people as a nation and the actions we take,” he told host Bernard Avle.
‘Ghana’s growth by accident’ He indicated that despite the positive indications from economic ratings and improvement in investor confidence among other key characteristics of the country’s economy, the growth continues at a slower speed than expected.
“We may end up realizing that the growth occurs largely by accident and not be by conscious effort,” he noted.
‘Victim of other people’s strategy’ He held the view that the country could remain a “victim” of the strategies and policies of other countries if it does not courageously develop and implement its policies. (see Editorial 2018 – Ed)
‘What has Ghana achieved?’ “You’ll be amazed that some of the road networks we have today have still not met the 1961 standards. The famous Spintex road in the 1961 Master plan for Accra was designed to be a 6 lane dual carriage road. The reservation is still there, but a part has been encroached upon so what we have now is an industrial road,” he said.
According to David Ofosu-Dortey, from Ghana’s journey from the Ghana’s Vision 2020 (1996-2020), Ghana Vision 2020: The First Step (1996-2000), the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS I) (2003 – 2005), the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) (2006 – 2009), and currently the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) (2010 – 2013), developments plans make it difficult for it to accurately measure its achievements.
He called for national introspection on why most of the development plans including Vision 2020 failed, and why the many others failed to meet their targets.
‘Democratic development vs Economic development’ “There is so much freedom in this country so if you celebrate 25 years of democracy, yes, we have achieved a lot democratically, but what about when it comes to economic development. There is a difference between attaining freedom and attaining the freedom which is supposed to drive development. The development part has not been driven by our freedom,” he said.
Four die on the spot. . . Spacio sideswipes haulage truck, hits another head-on
Four people died on the spot after a vehicle they were travelling in sideswiped a haulage truck and then collided head on with another truck along the Harare- Bulawayo road near Mbembesi on Tuesday night.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi
The driver and three passengers who were travelling to Bulawayo in a Toyota Spacio died on the spot.National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the fatal accident yesterday.
The accident occurred when a Toyota Spacio which was travelling towards Bulawayo and freightliner truck travelling towards Gweru and another freightliner truck which was also travelling towards Gweru were involved in an accident,” said Chief Supt Nyathi. He said the Toyota Spacio allegedly encroached onto the lane of the first freightliner truck resulting in a sideswipe and thereafter collided head-on with the second freightliner truck.
Chief Supt Nyathi urged drivers to be responsible while driving on the country’s roads as some of the fatal accidents could be avoided. “Drivers have to be responsible on the roads. They have to be observant and above all they should not travel in the centre lane of the roads. Some of the fatal accidents that are occurring could be avoided,” he said.
The accident occurred a day after Zanu-PF Bulawayo district chairperson Magura Charumbira died in another road accident at the 56 km peg along the Harare- Bulawayo Road near Norton. Charumbira who was a passenger in the Mercedes C- Class car died on the spot while the driver and another passenger were injured.
Five die in car accident in Zambezi
TRAGEDY … Five people travelling from Linyanti did not make it to Katima Mulilo after the seven-seater vehicle in which they were travelling experienced a burst tyre, which the driver only noticed when it was too late. The burst tyre caused the driver to lose control, and the car overturned.
FIVE people perished while three others were injured in a car accident on the Linyanti-Katima Mulilo road yesterday.
The deceased were identified as Mukusi Masule (71), Linda Maata (21), Kasanga Isaack (19) and Mubita Ndozu (age unknown). The fifth victim is yet to be identified. The incident happened at around 10h20.
Police yesterday said the rear right tyre of the vehicle, carrying eight passengers, burst, causing the driver to lose control and the car overturning. The driver, who is in a stable condition, was identified as Chillinda Allen (33), and will be charged with culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving, and driving without a legal driving licence. The other two victims, who are in a critical condition, were identified as Ronica Kachana (22), who is pregnant, and Mukusi Masule (13). They are admitted at the Katima Mulilo State Hospital.
Zambezi regional crime investigations coordinator, deputy commissioner Evans Simasiku confirmed the accident, stating that the eight passengers along with the driver were coming from the Linyanti area and heading to Katima Mulilo when the accident happened. “The driver, according to our estimations, drove 790 metres without realising that he was having a flat tyre. This led to him losing control of the vehicle and overturning four times. Looking at further causes of the accident, we realised that the vehicle was overloaded with people and goods.
Legally, this vehicle is only allowed to carry seven passengers. But in this case, it was carrying eight,” Simasiku observed. He thus advised passengers to be responsible for their lives, and to ensure that they look at the condition of a car before getting on the road, as well as to ensure that drivers limit their speed.
“As a passenger travelling in a public transport vehicle, it is your right to tell the driver to slow down if he is speeding in order not to compromise your life. The drivers should also drive with caution as they are carrying other people. They should not just look at the amount of money they will make in a day, and also ensure that their cars are in a good condition,” he stressed.
Simasiku further appealed to the public or family members to come forward and help them identify the fifth victim if they know of a male person who was travelling from that area.
Hero status for Grace Mugabe boo-boy?
ZANU-PF Bulawayo province has recommended that the party’s Bulawayo central district chairperson Magura Charumbira who died in a car accident on Monday be declared a liberation hero.
Charumbira (34) died on the spot at the 56km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near the Norton tollgate after a Mercedes Benz in which he was a passenger rammed into a stationary haulage truck.The driver of the light vehicle and the other passengers survived the crash.
Charumbira shot to fame last year in November when he led a group of Zanu-PF youths who heckled former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe at a rally in Bulawayo. Zanu-PF provincial spokesperson Christopher Sibanda confirmed the development saying the province has written to the party’s Politburo.
“The provincial leadership has unanimously recommended that Charumbira be declared a liberation hero and be buried at the Provincial Heroes’ Acre in Nkulumane. We haven’t met his family to discuss the issue but it is our hope that they will consent to our plans as a party,” said Sibanda.
“He was a very vibrant young party member who could have done more in Zanu-PF. There are only a few people of his calibre. He was dedicated to the ethos of the party hence his death is a serious loss for us as Zanu-PF,” he said.
Charumbira was thrown out of the interface rally at White City Stadium when he famously booed Mrs Mugabe as she was addressing the crowd. He went into hiding for a few days before handing himself over to police. He was later acquitted in court.
In May last year Charumbira was stabbed in the head following violent clashes at the Zanu-PF offices in Bulawayo. Following the clashes, he was expelled from the party only to bounce back after the November Extraordinary Central Committee meeting which resolved that all party members who were fired unprocedurally by the G40 cabal should be re-admitted.
Seven family members killed in NWest crash
Seven people were killed in a road accident on the R503 between Mahikeng and Lichtenburg, North West Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Mpho Motlhabane said on Monday. Motlhabane said the accident on Sunday, was an unfortunate incident which came at the time the traffic flow has decreased.
“Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the bereaved and we also wish a speedy recovery to those injured and admitted here in the hospital. We hope that you will gain strength and overcome this unfortunate tragedy,” Motlhabane said. “Its unbelievable that when we thought we have survived the rough season of terrible accident we now get to experience this tragedy, this is painful and unbelievable.”
A minibus taxi transporting family members from Mahikeng to Klerksdorp allegedly hit a honey badger about 10km to Lichtenburg and lost control. The family was returning from a gathering in Mahikeng.
“Seven females including an 11-year-old girl were certified dead at the scene by paramedics. The ages of the deceased ranges from 11 to 50 years. Meanwhile, the remaining seven including a 6-year-old boy were rushed to General Delarey Hospital where four were treated for shock and minor injuries.”
Motlhabane visited the injured in hospital and said the law enforcement officers have worked hard during the festive season to protect the lives of people particularly on these main roads, however, incidents such like this took place at an unexpected time.
“The road is a space to share, therefore we need to exercise patience and cooperate with each other for all of us to reach our destinations safely. Let us all take responsibility of road safety to safe our lives and reduce the high rate of accidents and fatalities.”
10 Injured in Durban City taxi crash
Ten people have sustained various injuries after a taxi and a car collided on the corner of Anton Lembede Road and Shepstone Road in Durban on Sunday afternoon.
Just after 12:30 Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the two badly damaged vehicles in the junction. A total of ten people had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate. One patient needed to be stabilised by Advanced Life Support Paramedics before all of the injured were transported to nearby hospitals for the further care that they required.
At this stage the events leading up to the collision is unknown however SAPS were on the scene and will be investigating further.
Three family members die in Narok accident
By Robert Kiplagat | Published Mon, January 8th 2018
Three people from the same family died on Sunday when their vehicle was involved in an accident along the Bomet-Narok road. The three died on the spot as two others in the same car escaped with injuries.
Area police boss Joseph Kisombe said the front tyre burst before the car rolled several times. “Two women and a man were killed in the accident. Another man and a woman, who was the driver, had minor injuries,” said Mr Kisombe. “The injured sustained minor head and chest injuries and are in stable condition at Narok County Hospital,” he added. Doctors at the hospital said the survivors were responding well to treatment and would soon be discharged.
ZA: Ekurhuleni roads claim 44 lives during festive season – EMPD
2018-01-08 Mxolisi Mngadi
6 family members die in road crash
Six family members died in a road traffic accident in Masvingo yesterday, while four others died in another accident along the Harare-Mutare Highway.
In the Masvingo accident, two other people were seriously injured when a vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a bus that was avoiding another bus parked at the six-kilometre peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the accident, which occurred yesterday around 4.30pm. “What I can confirm is that six family members perished this evening in Masvingo when a private car they were travelling in had a head-on collision with a bus which wanted to avoid another bus that was parked near Wimpy Service Station,” she said. “Two others were injured and are in a critical condition at Masvingo General Hospital. We will give more details as investigations are in progress.”
According to witnesses, the family car, a Land Rover Discovery, collided with a Cartliner Bus which wanted to avoid another bus, suspected to have broken down, that was parked on the road near a curve.
In the Harare-Mutare Highway accident yesterday evening, police national spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the four passengers died on the spot, while several others were injured near Melfort when a Toyota Granvia they were travelling in burst a tyre, lost control and veered off the road. “The vehicle overturned twice and killed four passengers on the spot,” said Chief Supt Nyathi
“We continue losing precious lives in road traffic accidents and it is disheartening. We urge drivers to exercise due diligence when travelling on our national roads. They should not overtake when it is not safe to do so.”
NTSA in the limelight over alarming road carnage
7th January 2018
Namibia: Otavi accident claims 3 lives
by Ngaevarue Katjangua
THREE people identified, as Reinhard Cloete, Elise Nanyoyange Haimbangu and Gino Kelly Uxamb, lost their lives in a fatal accident yesterday.
The accident, involving two vehicles and a truck, occurred about 20km out of Otavi.
A Mercedes Benz truck travelling from the northern towards south collided with a white Citi Golf and silver Toyota VITZ. Both sedans were travelling from south to north.
Circumstances around the actual cause of the accident were not clear.
Other people who were injured in the accident were rushed to Tsumeb. The next of kin of the deceased are informed.
Drunk firefighter crashes fire engine
A fire engine was on Thursday evening involved in a crash after the driver lost control and veered off Ngong road ramming into a nearby wall.
A bystander who rescued the driver said that the he was dangerously speeding and must have lost control when he ran into a culvert, rammed into a wall before overturning.
“Around 8pm when I was headed home I saw a vehicle coming so fast, past AIC church on Ngong road when it ran into a culvert then went and hit KWS wall that is when I rushed to rescue the driver,” said the witness.
The witness added that he could not help but notice that the fire fighter reeked of alcohol and alcohol bottles were lying around in the vehicle. “The truck did not have a siren and on finding him he was smelling of alcohol, that is an indicator that he was just having fun,” said the onlooker.
The drunk driver was supposedly headed to Nkoroi for a fire rescue call however colleagues refute claims of any cases of fire from that area on Thursday. The driver was rushed to Ngong Sub-district hospital having sustained minor injuries, especially on the face where he was bruised by broken glass.
Ngong residents are concerned that the wrecked truck was the only fire engine in the region and they will need other fire truck to assist them in fire case emergencies.
Two killed in multi-vehicle collision in Mpumalanga
Delmas – Two people were killed and four others injured on Friday afternoon, when two trucks and a SUV collided on the R50 in Delmas, Mpumalanga, paramedics said.
“Two trucks and an SUV were found to have collided. All three had caught alight and had already been extinguished by the fire services,” ER24 spokesperson Russell Meiring said in a statement. “Upon closer inspection, paramedics discovered two bodies lying trapped inside the larger truck. Unfortunately, both patients had already succumbed to their multiple injuries. Nothing could be done for them and they were declared dead.”
Four more patients were found on the scene, one was found in a critical condition while the other three were found with moderate injuries. Paramedics treated the patients and provided the critically injured patient with advanced life support interventions.
“Once treated, the critically injured patient was airlifted by the ER24 Oneplan Helicopter to a nearby private hospital for further treatment. The remaining patients were transported by ambulance to various hospitals,” Meiring said.
The exact details surrounding the incident are not yet known but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.
Kenya: NTSA launches new curriculum in bid to curb road accidents
By WILLIAM MWANGI @williamwangijr
NTSA director general, MR Francis Meja addressing the press during the deployment of police officers on 4th October 2016./FILE
The National Transport and Safety Authority has launched a new curriculum for the training and testing of drivers to ensure sanity on the roads. In a statement yesterday, Director General Francis Meja said the new system will ensure drivers are provided with sufficient education and skills.
“More than 90 per cent of accidents result from human error. The curriculum has been designed to address the different needs of drivers depending on the vehicles they use,” he said. The new curriculum has been split into several modules that provide guidance for the training and testing of drivers of motorcycles, light vehicles, public service vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles.
There are modules that provide requirements for those who drive for a living and for the drivers of plant and agricultural machinery. “The curriculum includes theoretical sections and examinations and practical sections and examinations.”
Meja added that drivers have a high level of responsibility and their actions can influence the lives of many people, especially the drivers of PSV and HGV vehicles. “It is, therefore, important that these drivers are highly skilled and experienced.”
In addition to setting the standards for the training and testing of drivers, the curriculum sets the standards for driving schools, instructors and examiners. “It is recognised that there is a need to raise the professionalism and profile of the driving industry,” he said.
Meja said the supporting legislation for the curriculum makes provision for the establishment of professional bodies for drivers, instructors and examiners.
Ghana: Massive Opposition Greets DVLA First Aid Kits
MyJoyOnline 5th January 2018
The Deputy Minister, Titus Glover has said the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority’s compulsory charges for first aid kits is a plot to make the Akufo-Addo-led administration unpopular.
A situation, he said the government will not allow to happen.
Incensed by the decision, he noted that it was completely wrong for the Authority to introduce such charges, especially when it did not consult the appropriate institutions before going ahead with the execution of the policy.
“The minister has said that if you want to take any major decision, consult so that we will all put our heads together. Now you have gone to do this, you want to make government unpopular…we will not allow that to happen,” he added.
The DVLA this week introduced the compulsory first aid kit with a charge of GHS 108.00 (23 USD) for new vehicle owners seeking to register their vehicles. The Authority said it has been compelled to take the decision because most drivers are failing to comply with the directive to acquire one by themselves.
But vehicle owners are not happy with the development. They argue that they reserve the right to purchase the item by themselves.
The Deputy Minister agrees with them. He told Myjoyonline.com that the drivers should have a choice of what they want to buy, where and at a price that is favourable for them. “They should have the room to negotiate or bargain for parts or whatever they are buying. It’s a New year, the fourth day of January, he goes to renew his licence and roadworthiness and then you ask him compulsorily to buy first aid kits.”
Mr. Glover, however, said drivers who refuse to have such items in their vehicles should be dealt with by the police. He has ordered the (DVLA) to immediately halt the compulsory charges for the first aid kits. “Your board of directors is not aware of a major decision like this to sell first aid kits. The Ministry is not aware and looks at the backlash that is coming from the public and the drivers.
“It is not in the interest of all of us,” he added.
Biometric driving licence by end January, point-based system by July
05 January 2018 13:45
ALGIERS – The biometric driving licences will be delivered by end of January, ahead of the enforcement of the point-based system, scheduled for July, said Wednesday the director of the National Centre of Road Prevention and Safety (CNPSR), Ahmed Nait El-Hocine.
The real reasons for fuel scarcity in Nigeria – Kachikwu
Mr. Kachikwu said this while speaking before a meeting of the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives. The meeting was convened to find a lasting solution to the fuel crisis.
“The causes were; first, diversion was very key, second, there were logistics issues,” he said. “Once those diversions began Apapa Wharf was a problem to be able to move things due to bad roads, lack of sufficient reserve in our system making us unable to respond to the supply gap arising largely from the fact that private sector pulled out from supply.
“There has been a loose enforcement on diversion in the country. We have not been able to police our depots adequately.” He explained that disparity in the landing cost has prevented the private marketers from importing petroleum into the country.
“Going forward we need to address the issue of pricing, there is a disparity between landing cost and cost we are selling. If we are going to sell at N145 (US 40 cents), we need to put some mechanisms in place so that the private sector will go back importation. We have a committee looking at this and we are still going to submit a report for review. Will this shortage reduce accidents – Ed.
South Africa train crash: ‘Bodies burnt beyond recognition’
4th January 2018
Media captionThe truck apparently failed to stop at a crossingA passenger train has caught fire in South Africa after colliding with a truck, killing at least 18 people and injuring 268, rescue workers say.Some of the bodies are “burnt beyond recognition”, Free State Health Department spokesman Mondli Mvambi told South African news site Times Live.Video footage showed a fire blazing through at least one carriage, near a crushed car and an overturned truck.Evacuated passengers were seen standing on the roadside with luggage.
The collision occurred near Kroonstad city in Free State province, after the truck failed to stop at a crossing, a passenger told local media.Around 700 people were on the train when it was hit by a truck, a BBC correspondent has reported.
The driver of the truck tried to flee, but was arrested by police, passenger Seipati Moletsane told the privately owned eCNA news site.Passengers in the first two coaches were wounded, she added.”I was so traumatised. I didn’t know what to do. I was looking for a door just to jump out. Every door was locked… All of a sudden, we just saw smoke, smoke, smoke,” Ms Moletsane said.
4 dead, 9 injured in Western Cape crash
4th January 2018 Nation Nyoka
The accident scene (Supplied)Cape Town – A head-on collision between a bakkie and a car on the N1 towards Paarl from Worcester has resulted in the death of four people on Wednesday afternoon.
Zambia: Central Province did not record any road traffic deaths-Njase
Central Province Police Commissioner, Joel Njase has expressed happiness that the region did not record any deaths resulting from road traffic accidents during the festive season.
Mr. Njase said the province only recorded two accidents where victims sustained serious injuries.
“As a province we only recorded two serious accidents during the festive period which resulted in two people sustaining serious injuries without any fatalities, although we would have loved to record zero accidents as per our target,” he said
Mr. Njase told ZANIS in an interview that the first accident occurred on Monday, January 1, 2018 around 22:00hrs involving an unknown male who hit into a pedestrian and a traffic light pole along Great North Road due to excessive speeding. He said the pedestrian sustained a deep cut and bruises on the arm and is admitted to Kabwe General Hospital.
Mr. Njase further said the other accident occurred along Itezhi-Tezhi -Mumbwa road when a cyclist identified as Cholwe Mulongo tried to change lanes and was hit by a vehicle. He said the vehicle a Toyota Corolla Registration Number BAC 3946 was being driven by Hardley Nalugwe aged 45 of Lilanda compound in Lusaka. Mr. Njase said the victim sustained a fractured leg and bruises on his hands.
He said it was impressive that most motorists conducted themselves well during the festive season. He further said there is need to sensitize cyclists on the high way codes to prevent them from being hit by motorists.
And Police in Kalabo District have commended members of the Public for maintaining law and order during the festive season. Kalabo District Police Officer-in-Charge Daniel Mutondo says New Year was incident free with only three assault cases were recorded on Christmas Day. Assistant Superintendent Mutondo however told ZANIS today that the Police station recorded four burglaries and eight assault cases between Christmas and New Year and that no road accidents or traffic offenses were recorded during the same period under review.
He attributed the low incident levels to Community engagement and mounting of intense as well as spontaneous patrols by alert Police Officers. The Officer-in-Charge further revealed that members of the public in the District were corporative as they did not misunderstand the presence of Police Officers in Public places.
He said Police will continue to enforce maintenance of law and order adding that citizens have a moral obligation to abide by the laws of the land.
Assistant Superintendent Mutondo has since urged members of the Public not to relent in reporting suspicious acts likely to compromise law and order in a bid to reduce crime in society.
Road crashes claim 136 during festive season
A total of 136 people died in about 1 400 separate road traffic accidents recorded countrywide during the festive season. The figures were recorded between December 15, 2017 and January 1, 2018.
Police said the number of deaths had increased by 47 people from 89 deaths recorded in the same period in 2016.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said most accidents were attributed to drivers’ disregard of road regulations, speeding and driving unroadworthy vehicles.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba urged members of the public to partner the police to curb carnage on the country’s roads.
Meanwhile, police have expressed concern over an increase in the number of pedestrians who were killed during the period between December 21 and 27.
A total of 27 pedestrians died compared to 12 deaths recorded during the same period in 2016.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba also said 14 murder cases were recorded in one week, with 10 of them involving couples. Police have urged people to respect the sanctity of human life and avoid solving disputes through violent means.
In April last year, police said there was an increase in the number of murder cases arising from family disputes, beer drinking quarrels and other criminal activities. As such, police warned members of the public to desist from carrying weapons such as iron bars, knives, machetes and axes that might be used to commit crime.
In November last year, former President Cde Robert Mugabe called for the restoration of the full effects of the death penalty, with all the conditions that existed prior to the adoption of the new Constitution in 2013. This followed a steep increase in murder cases, where people were being killed with actual intent. The new Constitution allows the death penalty with certain variations.
Under Section 48, the law permits the death penalty only on a person convicted of murder committed in aggravating circumstances and gives the court the discretion on whether or not to impose the penalty. The same section states that a death penalty cannot be imposed on a person who was less than 21 years old when the offence was committed or who was more than 70 years old. “Further, the death penalty must not be imposed or carried out on a woman and the person sentenced must have a right to seek pardon or commutation of the penalty. The Herald
At least six injured in road accident along Kenyatta Avenue
3rd January 2018
, NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3 – At least six passengers were injured Wednesday morning in an accident involving a bus and a private car at the junction of Kenyatta Avenue and Muindi Mbingu Street.
The accident happened outside I&M Building causing the bus to overturn. It took the arrival of a fire engine and several Good Samaritans to free several passengers who had been trapped inside the bus. Witnesses said the bus was speeding when it hit the saloon car at about 6 am.
The injured were rushed to hospital and the accident comes at a time when such incidents are on the increase with more than 300 killed and hundreds of others injured in a month.
This followed various incidences on Tuesday where one person was killed and 68 others injured in three separate road accidents in Machakos and Mwingi in a worrying trend of road carnage in the country.
The fatal accident where 12 people were injured occurred at Kaviti plains on Mombasa road when a matatu from Voi rammed a stationary truck.
The two other accidents occurred in Mwingi and Maanzoni where 56 people were injured when two mini buses overturned.
Concerns are mounting over road safety in the country-with focus shifting to the National Transport and Safety Authority and the traffic department, which is accused of laxity in enforcement and corruption leading to massive fatalities on public roads.
A driver survived a car accident in Tongaat on Tuesday but was electrocuted by a hidden network of illegal electrical connections when he tried to climb from the wreckage.
3rd January 2018
A driver met an unfortunate end in Tongaat on Tuesday when he survived a crash, only to be electrocuted when he tried to exit the vehicle. Picture: IPSSIPSS Medical Rescue’s Paul Herbst said the driver lost control of his car while travelling on the R102 near Tongaat. The car veered off the road and rolled multiple times. Herbst said the car came to rest in thick brush in a roadside ditch. It appears the man had tried to climb out of the car, when he came into contact with a live illegal electricity connection.
“The man’s seriously injured partner was entrapped in the crumpled wreckage, and medics had to wait for Eskom technicians to isolate a nearby transformers,” said Herbst.
“Once the connections were shut off, IPSS paramedics made their way to the woman. She was treated and stabilised in the car before she was carefully extricated by Tongaat Fire Department using the jaws of life to free her.” Mercury
Kins of family wiped by road accident seek help to bury
By Kevine Omollo | Published Wed, January 3rd 2018
Joyce Mandera (in red) who lost her son and four grandchildren in the Migaa crush is consoled by church members at her home in Chiga, Kisumu county.
The relatives of five members of the same family killed in a road accident in Migaa, Nakuru County, have appealed for financial assistance to cover burial costs. Martin Odol and his four children died in a road accident that claimed 36 lives on Sunday.
His wife, Pheobe Achieng, survived the crash and is still recuperating at Nakuru County Hospital. She sustained head, chest and limb injuries. Close relatives on Monday transferred the five bodies to the Kisumu County Hospital mortuary as burial plans began.
“We thought it wise to bring the bodies closer to make it easier and cheaper to make burial arrangements,” said Nelson Kabaka, Mr Odol’s first cousin. Odol was the only surviving child of his ailing 80-year-old mother, Joyce Mandera. Yesterday, Mr Kabaka chaired a family meeting at their rural home in Kawese during which proposals for a burial date were discussed.
The meeting resolved to wait at least three weeks so that funds could be raised. “When we tried to work out the burial expenses, which will include mortuary bills, transport and coffins, we discovered that it would cost more than Sh800,000,” said Kabaka. “As we speak, there is nothing we can hold on to given that the deceased was the only child in his home, meaning the extended family must be fully involved.” He said friends and relatives had contributed money to hire the pickup that transported the bodies from Nakuru to Kisumu, and were already overwhelmed given the high funeral expenses.
Kenya: Man dies after car plunges into river in Embu
By REUBEN GITHINJI
A man died on Monday in Embu after his car plunged into river Rupingazi. The driver of the white salon car lost control and veered off the Rupingazi bridge and plunged about 20 meters into the river and drowned.
One side of the bridge does not have guard rails because they were knocked off in previous accidents. Eye witnesses said the driver, whose identity could not be immediately established, was speeding towards Embu Town at the time of the accident. Witnesses said passersby tried to rescue the driver but failed to reach him on time due to the steep banks of the river. The body was later retrieved by the police and moved to the mortuary.
This becomes the second documented accident to claim lives in 2018 after two people were killed by a trailer near the notorious Salgaa black spot Monday morning.
Two perish in another accident near Salgaa
A third one was seriously injured and is being treated at the Nakuru level five hospital.
The trailer that was heading to Mombasa from Kampala crashed the three male pedestrians who were walking on the roadside after the driver lost control. The accident occurred 200 metres from Molo GSU camp along Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
” I am bound to Mombasa from Kampala and I had to hit them to save more lives when the steering system failed in my lorry,” the driver of the ill-fated trailer said.
Molo Base commander Moses Nderitu arrived at the scene soon after it occurred.
61% Of Roads In Ghana Are poor
MyJoyOnline 2nd January 2018
About 61 per cent of roads in the country have been classified as poor, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako-Atta has revealed.
According to Mr. Amoako-Atta, there are approximately 72,000 kilometres of roads in the country out of which 23 per cent had been asphalted with 39 per cent in good condition and 61 per cent could be classified as fair or poor.
“Ghana is 60 years old and if you travel abroad, you realised that we’re lagging behind in terms of road infrastructure so we need to do something about it,” Mr Amoako-Atta noted at the swearing-in of a nine-member Ministerial Advisory Board of the Ministry of Roads and Highways in Accra, on Thursday.
The Minister, therefore, urged the Board to bring their expertise and experiences on board to move the government’s agenda of ensuring quality roads across the country was realised.
“So as members of the Board we must collectively ensure that our roads are in good shape and safe as well as ensuring value for money,” he said.
Kwesi Amoako-Atta
According to him, the government had made arrangement to disburse another GHC120 million to road contractors whose arrears had been outstanding between two to five years.
He said the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government was poised to ensure regular payment of road contractors despite the financial challenges it was currently grappling with so as to ensure quality work delivery.
He said the Road Fund, which was supposed to receive an average between GHC70 to GHC80million every month, had not gotten the required amount due to a loan the previous government contracted from the United Bank of Africa (UBA).
Why Migaa tragic accident will forever remain etched in mind of Phoebe Achieng
By Julius Chepkwony Published Mon, January 1st 2018
[Photo: Julius Chepkwony/Standard] IN SUMMARY Woman’s pain of losing husband and her three children in accident.
Repeated protests by passengers against speeding were ignored by the driver Over 30 people died on the spot in the tragic accident at Migaa area near Salgaa along the Nakuru- Eldoret Highway
The morning of December 31 will forever remain etched in the mind of Phoebe Achieng. Achieng is among the survivors of the horrific road accident that claimed 38 lives at Migaa on the Eldoret-Nakuru highway. She lost her husband and three children aged two months, two and 14 years barely three hours after boarding the ill-fated bus.
And as she lay on a hospital bed in Nakuru yesterday, the fourth child still missing, her pain highlighted the cruelty of the dawn accident that shattered families and cast gloom on New Year’s eve. Achieng is bitter that repeated protests by passengers against speeding were ignored by the driver, and the last she recalled were screams as the Matunda Sacco bus hurtled along the killer 14km stretch of Sachangwan.
She recounted the bus was zigzagging before she heard a loud bang as it rammed into an oncoming trailer – ripping off the truck’s cabin on impact and the roof of the bus collapsing as metal twisted and glass shattered. Other witnesses said the bus had earlier been flagged down by traffic police officers due to the unusual driving but the driver explained away the out-of-control motion, claiming he had hit a bump. He was waved on and the bus crashed 30 minutes later. Some people died on the spot, among them 26 adults and four children.
Another 18 who sustained serious injuries were rushed to the Rift Valley Provincial General hospital and Molo sub-county hospital. Three people died at Molo hospital and another four at Nakuru County Referral hospital. Fresh blood covered the tarmac, with some bodies slumped inside the death cage that was the bus that had started its journey in Busia but never delivered its passengers to Nairobi, most of whom were returning to the city for new year festivities from upcountry where they had enjoyed Christmas holidays.
Other bodies of those thrown out of the bus on impact lay on the tarmac. Achieng was trapped in the wreckage and she could see her husband, Martin Odol Kendo, 44, and two children also seemingly trapped. Second born “All that time I was screaming for help, I called on my colleagues to help me but none could help. I could see my husband and legs of my two children, they were trapped in the luggage. If only I had the strength I could have saved my two children,” she said, tears flowing down her cheeks.
The whereabouts of her 13-year-old second-born son, Morphat Okoth, is yet to be established. Inconsolable following the death of Stephen Omondi, 14, two-year-old John Otieno and two-month-old Peter Shadrack, Achieng, who prayed to God asking why He had forsaken them, hopes Morphat survived the carnage. Tears rolled down her cheeks as nurses at Nakuru Provincial General Hospital tried to console her. She was unable to rise from the bed.
Achieng said they were returning from upcountry where they had gone for Christmas festivities. “We were on our way back to Nairobi from Kisumu where we had gone for the holiday. Together with our four children and my husband, we boarded the bus as it left Kisumu at around 11pm,” said Achieng. Her two children sat on a bag containing their belongings placed beside them as they held the younger ones. The bus, according to her, was speeding and attempts by the passengers to stop the driver didn’t bear any fruit. “The vehicle was moving at a high speed and we asked the driver to drive slowly but he turned a deaf ear,” she said.The Standard team established that the bus had worn-out tyres.
Two die in head-on collision on New Year’s eve
Two people reportedly died this afternoon near Harare turn off along Beitbridge road when a Toyota Granvia collided with a bus.
Details about the accident a still sketchy. 
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15 Killed in Jigawa Road Accident, Buried
At least 15 people were on Saturday evening killed when a truck loaded with sand collided with a car. The accident happened at Garin Ciroma, a village in Gagarawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The Volkswagen Gulf 3 vehicle with a passenger capacity of seven and registration number AA 664 DRA was overloaded with 15 persons. They were said to be returning from Gwaram Local Government Area and were heading to a village in Gwiwa Local Government Area, when the vehicle collided with the truck.
Audu Daurawa, the council Chairman of Gwiwa Local Government Area, confirmed that all the victims are from the council.
The sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Jigawa, Angus Ibezim, also confirmed the accident to PREMIUM TIMES. He said the truck’s headlights were faulty, thus the car coming from the opposite direction was not aware of it. The accident happened at about 9p.m. on Saturday. The fifteen persons in the car included eight men, four women and three children, all of whom died in the accident.
A resident of the area who rushed to the scene of the crash, described the scenario as touching, saying the women were seen hugging their babies even in death. Saturday’s accident occurs less than a month after an over-speeding vehicle crushed nine pedestrians to death in Jahun Local Government Area of the state.
The driver of Saturday’s truck with registration number XA 779 NSR, identified as Isyaku Umar, has been arrested. The Jigawa police spokesperson, Audu Jinjiri, confirmed the arrest.
The victims were buried on Sunday morning. Mr. Ibezim said the FRSC is considering sanctions on some construction companies in Gumel area of the state. He said the firms use substandard trucks at their construction site including faulty ones like that involved in the accident. He also cautioned passengers to avoid night journeys and called on drivers to avoid overloading and over speeding.
Ghana: 3 Dead In Sogakope-Adidome Accident
At least three people have died when the car they were travelling in crashed at Bakpa Adzani on the Sogakope-Adidome road after one of its tyres burst Saturday.
Several others who sustained various degrees of injury are on admission at the Adidome Government Hospital, Comboni, St. Anthony’s Hospital at Dzodze and the Volta Regional Hospital in Ho.
Joy News’ Volta Regional Correspondent, Ivy Sertordzi reported the Mercedes Benz Sprinter with registration number AS 6874-10 was heading to Sogakope from Accra when one of its tyres burst. It had 22 passengers.
The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle immediately. The car hit the median and veered off the road into the nearby bush.
The Ministry of Safety 
God please look back help us in the all world please God
Good updates