Windhoek
Okahandja Park informal settlement residents continue to die at the hands of reckless drivers who speed on the road that leads from the Monte Cristo service station to Brakwater.
“As you can see there is a sharp curve here. Many people in this area die on this road. Last year at least one person was bumped by a car on this road every month. This is the point where most people cross to go and relief themselves in the bush, because there are not many toilets here,” Willem Ndara, a 25-year-old student, who has been living in Okahandja Park for the past four years said.
The absence of road signs and speed humps to encourage drivers to reduce their speed is the main cause of this, Ndara argues. He says if there were some speed humps on that road there would be fewer accidents because drivers would be forced to reduce their speed.
Furthermore, people in the area struggle to get transport to work and school, Ndara noted. “People walk long distances to get taxis, because it is difficult to get transport from here. For taxis to come here we have to pay N$20 because there is no taxi rank,” Ndara explained. People in Okahandja Park live in impoverished conditions and often cannot afford to spend money on transport, so end up walking long distances.
“Other people are paying N$10 while we at Okahandja Park have to fork out N$20. Some of those who pay N$10 are living in better circumstances than us. Our money is wasted on transport. It would be better if we get a taxi rank and for municipal buses to also come this side of town,” Ndara added.
Nodding in agreement, Joseph Siyengo, a 26-year-old security guard, said he spends N$130 each month on transport to and from work, which further erodes his meagre earnings.
“The car picks me up early in the morning, but in the afternoon when it is time to go home I have to wait long for the car to pick me up, which is not good,” Siyengo said.
“People struggle with transport here and these are poor people. If people are dropped off at the four-way stop near Monte Cristo service station they pay N$10, but those living beyond that point have to walk long distances, because they are charged double,” said Siyengo.
Tobias Hainyeko Constituency Councillor, Zulu Shitongeni said yesterday that the road was a national road until last year when it was handed over to the Windhoek Municipality.
“The City of Windhoek cannot work on a road that is not theirs,” said Shitongeni, who also explained that the road will now be provided for in the new municipal budget.
Furthermore, Shitongeni said the road is wide and “it is precisely the person who is crossing the road who must be careful.” He is of the view that it would be impossible to put speed humps on that road, but noted that since it is now deemed a municipal road their concerns would receive due attention.
“Another problem is that some people use that road to learn how to drive and even if a person is bumped it is sometimes a hit-and-run,” Shitongeni further explained.