11 Dec 2014

Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) manager in Francistown, Mr Dennis Keagile says although none of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) directly addresses road safety, it is believed that the goal in the eradication of poverty and hunger cannot be achieved if Batswana continue to lose young people in their prime and productive ages to road accidents.

Officially opening the District Road Safety Commemoration Day at Tati-Town Kgotla on December 5, Mr Keagile said  road accidents as well as HIV and AIDS had a lot in common as they both depleted the economy of the country.

He said they also aggravated the problem of orphans, which in turn may lead to juvenile delinquencies and other social ills. He appealed to the public and the nation at large to work together in order to reduce casualties on the roads and make it safe by 2016.

Mr Keagile also appealed to all motorists, especially young Batswana to desist from driving while under the influence for alcohol. Furthermore, he said statistics in the northern region revealed that this year by November, 77 lives had been lost as compared to 110 last year for the same period.

He said while the number had decreased as compared to the previous year, there was a need for more assertive campaign. One of road accident victims Ms Iris Chenje said she was involved in a car accident along the Orapa road, near Mokubilo village in 2011.

Ms Chenje urged the community not to abuse their relatives who are victims of road accidents by calling them disabled people because it hurts them to the point of depression.

She said she could not do any heavy work due to a spinal cord operation and thanked God for saving her life.

Ms Chenje also urged young people to change their behaviour and respect other road users, adding that the situation and road safety trends in Botswana did not differ from those in other developing countries. ENDS