Windhoek
The municipal bus driver who was found drunk while transporting passengers last November received a suspended sentence, following the recent conclusion of his hearing.
Corporate communications manager at the City of Windhoek Joshua Amukugo informed New Era on Tuesday that bus driver Theofillus Kamuro’s disciplinary hearing has been concluded.
“He was given a suspended sentence, whereby he should not commit any similar offences within the next six months,” Amukugo said.
Amukugo explained that the driver’s alcohol results were still not available and the municipality could not postpone the hearing as it would go against industrial procedures, as the hearing would otherwise be declared null and void.
In November New Era reported that Kamuro was allegedly found drunk behind the wheel while transporting 98 domestic workers to various drop-off points in Windhoek.
At the time he also faced charges of overloading the bus by as many as 18 people, as the bus has seating capacity for 65 people and 15 standing only.
Kamuro had almost double the legally allowed alcohol limit in his bloodstream when police conducted random breathalyser tests along Otjomuise Road that morning. The legal breath alcohol limit is less than 0.24 mg in 1 000 ml of breath, but the driver cracked the meter at 0.77mg.
Almost all the passengers use the bus on a daily basis and some said they were not impressed by the situation.
“We could have been involved in a major accident without knowing what the cause was,” said one of the commuters at the time.
After the incident, senior manager at the Motor Vehicle Accedent Fund Call Centre Sidney Boois was quoted as saying the interventions by law enforcement agencies were necessary, as road accidents continue to be a pandemic that demands remedial action.
“These interventions must be consistent. It must not be seasonal. The only reason a person will not drink and drive on any road is when there is a possibility of getting caught. We need to increase that possibility,” he said.
Boois said the police teams would stop and test drivers for all sorts of transgressions, even if it means commuters would be stranded at such points: “We will continue with education and awareness to make road users aware of the risks involved until we see a change in behaviour.”
He said 70 percent of road casualties involve passengers and the police would continue with vehicle occupant protection (seatbelt safety) to reduce the risk of injury by at least 40 percent. “We need to decrease the road safety risk. It is against the law to drink and drive, as one’s ability is reduced and so an intoxicated driver risks everybody in the car,” he explained.