Nandi-Ndaitwah airlifted after fatal crash

KENYA KAMBOWE

Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was airlifted to a Windhoek hospital yesterday following her involvement in a horrific accident that claimed at least one life on the Oshivelo-Tsumeb road.

The accident was confirmed by police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga, but full details were still sketchy at the time of going to print yesterday.

The car that was carrying the minister collided head-on with an Opel Corsa bakkie.

It was earlier claimed that three people had died, but Oshikoto police Deputy Commissioner Petrus Shigwedha said only the driver of the Opel bakkie died on the spot, while a passenger in the same car was seriously injured.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is also the Swapo vice-president and minister of international relations, was immediately transported to a Tsumeb hospital. She was then airlifted to a Windhoek hospital.

Her condition was reportedly stable, according to high-placed sources.

According to witnesses the accident scene was heavily guarded by traffic officers and police officers assigned to the VVIP protection division.

“It was a terrible scene to watch especially the Corsa bakkie which was severely damaged as I could see its engine on the ground,” a witness told Namibian Sun.

Another source observed that the deputy prime minister's motorcade was driving recklessly on the congested road when it passed them outside Ondangwa.

“We were driving from Ondangwa and suddenly a motorcade was behind us, we got off the road but the manner in which those cars were being driven was not normal, they were recklessly driven and I am not surprised that they got into an accident," the witness said.

When Namibian Sun broke the news on social media, there were mixed responses from readers, with many criticising the driving habits of VVIP drivers.

Recently Ndeitunga had called on road users to give right of way to presidential and VIP motorcades and emergency vehicles.

“It is my humble appeal to all road users to exercise their civil obligations to always stop and give right of way to any Very Very Important Person (VVIP) or Very Important Person (VIP) motorcade, or any emergency vehicles such as ambulances, the fire brigade or police quick response units,” Ndeitunga was quoted as saying.