2016-06-08Staff Report 2 Rundu Rundu residents were shocked on Monday night when a female pensioner and her daughter were struck by a car as they were trying to cross the Trans-Caprivi/Trans-Zambezi Highway. The pensioner, later identified as Kandjenga Christine (of unknown age) from Tuhingireni informal settlement which located along the highway, died shortly after arriving at the hospital where her daughter was also admitted with serious injuries. It was reported by the police that a Toyota Tazz with a Rundu registration number struck the mother and child, as they were trying to cross the road. They were then run over by a second vehicle, which was travelling on the highway at that fateful moment. The two accident victims were rushed to Rundu Intermediary Hospital by ambulance, but the pensioner died shortly on arrival. Her injured daughter was identified as Paulus Rebecca, 31. Both were residents of Tuhingireni informal settlement. The horrible accident occurred near V6 Shebeen, about one km before the turnoff to the Engen Service Station near Rundu. Many residents in the area have lost their lives trying to cross the highway, as there are residential settlements on both sides of the highway. There are no street lights to enable drivers to see pedestrian movements along the road at night, as it is perfectly dark and pedestrians can only be seen once they are in the middle of the highway. Due to accidents of this nature, Rundu Town Council announced the installation earlier this year of streetlights along the Trans-Caprivi/Trans-Zambezi Highway, as one of the priority projects to be implemented in municipality’s five-year strategic plan for the period 2014 to 2019. At the time Mayor Verna Sinimbo was quoted in New Era as having said they plan to install streetlights along the Trans-Caprivi/Trans-Zambezi Highway for at least 5,6 kilometres, with emphasis on the part where the road passes through the town. “People usually cross the road at night to go from one side of the highway to the other, as there are residential areas on both sides,” the mayor explained at the time. 2016-06-08Staff Report 2
