20 Nov 2019

Chairperson of Ministers Fraternal in Maun, Apostle Terrence Sechele has implored the government to put road warning signs on accident prone roads for drivers to avert accidents.

Apostle Sechele made the remarks during a  prayers against road accidents event held in Maun on November 19.

He said some roads were an accident waiting to happen and lack of warning signs worsened the situation.

Apostle Sechele said the church fraternity appreciated the role of the Botswana Police Service in campaigns against road accidents as well as the police officers who deal with traumatic road accident scenes.

He further advised motorists to drive responsibly as the festive season which was synonymous with road accidents had started.

He observed that many accidents were as a result of  reckless driving and drunken driving.

District No. 5 Officer Commanding, Senior Superintendent Peter Gochela said that statistics had shown that Maun was leading in road accidents in the Ngamiland region.

Senior Supt Gochela said that 188 accidents had been recorded in Maun since the begginning of the year, with 20 of them fatal causing 24 deaths.

He said a total of 291 accidents were recorded in Maun in 2018, of which 21 were fatal accidents that led to 29 deaths.

Nonetheless, Senior Supt Gochela noted that some areas in the Ngamiland such  as Gumare and Shakawe had seen reduction of road accidents.

Maun has problematic routes such as Sedie - Matlapana-Shorobe, Chanoga-Samedupe and Sitatunga, he added.

He said most accidents took place early morning and in the evenings in the hotspots.

Senior Supt Gochela therefore said the police appreciated efforts from stakeholders such as the church in offering prayers against road accidents.

He said speed and drunken driving had been identified as the main causes of road accidents.

The North West District deputy commissioner, Ms Goitseone Nkwe-Tabane appreciated the police, Ministers Fraternal and other stakeholders’ efforts for engaging in a sensitisation campaign.

Ms Nkwe-Tabane said the police had a mammoth task in dealing with victims of road accidents, saying they also needed prayers.

She further encouraged public officers to make use of her office which has a road safety focal person. Ends