10 Feb 2020

Botswana Railways (BR) trainee driver who was at the controls of the ill-fated train 0501/BD549 last December has described the journey as smooth, though it was her first time to drive a passenger train. 

Appearing before the board of enquiry into the accident which claimed two lives in Gaborone recently, Ms Doreen Motsewetsho said on December 9, when they embarked on the journey to ferry passengers to Francistown, she was with an assessor, as she was in the process of being qualified as a driver. 

She pointed out that the journey was delayed due to some logistics that she was not made aware of.    

Upon arrival in Gaborone, her assessor told her that she should not have applied the brakes at the station, and as a learner, who  was under examination, she just took the advice. 

Asked about if basic departure procedures such as alco-tests were done, she said even though they were not done, she was not bothered because the tests were often conducted randomly. 

On leaving Gaborone, she said she was informed that they would be joined by another crew member at Palla Road, and as a learner, she did not question her boss about where the person was going to be seated.

She said she was only alerted to drive with caution at Palla Road as it was a known hot spot for derailments; not kilometric peg 464. 

On being asked by board chairperson, Mr Olefile Moakofi why she was the only person in the cabin who did not know about communication regarding  kilometric peg 464, the spot where the train derailed, Ms Motsewetsho said if the information was indeed there, it was shared through social media but she was not in the particular WhatsApp group. 

She said after picking up the crew member who was to help with visibility at Palla Road, along the way she noticed a stream on the side of the railway line, which was approximately 10 meters ahead.  

“I then closed the power and tried to apply brakes, but I was told not to and at that time I was doing roughly 62km/hr and I obliged because my assessor said it was too late,” she said. 

She revealed that she just let the train roll trusting the judgement of her assessor who was highly qualified and experienced. 

Ms Motsewetsho said that was the last conversation they had in the cabin and the next thing she remembers was when she was pulled out through the cabin window, leaving her fellow workers trapped inside. 

At this point, Mr Moakofi remarked that it appeared as if the assessor was performing two duties; assessing and instructing the engine lady. 

The assessor, he said,  had no business telling the driver what to do. 

Ms Motsewetsho said if she was told about the condition of the rail at kilometric peg 464, she would readily accept her mistakes and take the blame for the tragedy. 

She said going forward, BR should provide first aid kits, swimming classes to every crew member, infra-red cameras to improve vision at night and to conduct drills regularly to avoid panic in cases of emergency. Ends