THE chief executive officer of the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF), Jerry Muadinohamba, yesterday described the road carnage of the past weekend as “a bloody weekend”.
Two female tourists from The Netherlands were instantly killed in a head-on collision between Usakos and Swakopmund, while a Namibian woman was burnt “beyond recognition” in an accident on the Otjiwarongo-Otavi road.
Twenty-two people were injured in the accident between Otjiwarongo and Otavi in which Oshakati-based lawyer Ester Ndalulwa burnt to death.
Upon enquiry, Muadinohamba said: “It’s a bloody weekend. It’s one of those weekends where we saw freak, horrific accidents.”
The MVAF boss said these accidents come at a time when the fund is battling to stay afloat as a result of an increase in the number of accidents as well as the number of injured people per accident.
“Again, the challenge was capacity to rescue people involved in accidents – one, to dispatch ambulances and two, to save people who are trapped in their vehicles.”
The jaws of life had to be used on Saturday some 20 km east of Arandis when a car carrying two tourists crashed head-on into the Audi of Greg Olivier, the manager of the national rugby team.
Olivier, his brother, Richard, and their families were trapped in their car.
Greg Olivier and his sister-in-law were transported to the Roman Catholic Hospital early yesterday morning. The other passengers, including three children, are still being treated in the Cottage Medi-Clinic at Swakopmund.
Speaking from his hospital bed in the capital, Greg Olivier said: “It’s purely grace that we are still alive.”
According to him, the accident happened within approximately three seconds.
It is understood that the other car left the road, the driver tried to get it back onto the road and then crashed into the Oliviers.
The two Dutch women died on the scene.
Greg Olivier said they all sustained multiple fractures. He said his shoulder fracture may only be operated on today as it was still too swollen yesterday.
Deputy Commissioner Chris Kalimbula of the Erongo Police said the accident took place around 11h00. According to him, the Renault with the Dutch women travelled from the direction of Swakopmund, while the Audi travelled from the direction of Usakos.
He said the accident happened when the Renault overtook another car.