Easy access at the tip of your fingers, subscribe to our daily ePaper version of our New Era Newspaper.
Home / ‘RA should erect speed humps at checkpoints’
‘RA should erect speed humps at checkpoints’
2017-06-29Staff Report 2 Selma Ikela Windhoek-The Inspector-General of the Namibian Police Sebastian Ndeitunga has requested the Roads Authority (RA) to erect speed humps at all permanent traffic checkpoints to ensure motorists’ speed is reduced as they approach sites where police officers are stationed. He made the appeal in light of four separate accidents that claimed the lives of four police officers since 2011 at various police roadblocks. According to police statistics on motor vehicle accidents for the period January 1 to June 25, 2017 some 345 people died, while police registered 1,863 crashes. A total of 2,947 people were injured in these accidents. “I am particularly perturbed by the recent road carnage on Namibian roads in which a number of innocent lives were lost, including those of police officers who were hard at work to prevent road deaths,” said Ndeitunga in a statement read on his behalf by Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi. About two weeks ago Sergeant Aina Magano Iileka was killed instantly when on duty in Ongwediva at the Oshiko police road traffic checkpoint. Shikwambi said the 22-year-old driver, Erastus Tashiya Petrus, was charged with murder and the case was postponed to September 1. No bail was granted and Petrus remains in custody. “Let us ensure that these reckless people who are a danger on our national roads are properly charged. We must see to it that when found to be on the wrong side of the law, they are punished. We must pay particular attention to drunk and reckless drivers, as they are amongst the worst causes of road accidents and deaths,” stated Ndeitunga. Other officers who were killed while on duty at police checkpoints were Constable Desmond Gaseb at Windhoek/Okahandja roadblock last year June, Constable Yvonne Oxurus from Swakopmund in 2015 and Constable Albertina Naambo Uugwanga at Oshiko traffic checkpoint in 2011. Ndeitunga is confident that RA will appreciate the gravity of the matter and find a speedy solution to prevent the loss of more police lives. Highlighting other road accidents countrywide and the recent accident on the Western Bypass, Ndeitunga said road carnage is costing the nation too much and all road users need to play their part to curb it. “I am appealing to everyone to uphold the rules and regulations of the road. Let us all respect life and exercise extreme caution and consideration when on the road, and when approaching police checkpoints and or any other roadblock for that matter,” he stated. 2017-06-29Staff Report 2
