Kolonyama horror
Nation mourns fiery triple crash, more accidents raze local roads
’MATHATO SEBOKA
MASERU – The nation is reeling after a horrific triple-vehicle collision near Kolonyama in the Leribe District on Saturday claimed the lives of 14 people – the devastating crash, involving a minibus, a VW Polo and a Toyota Corolla, saw the minibus erupt in flames upon impact.
Five survivors suffering extreme burns were urgently airlifted to specialized hospitals in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, South Africa, for critical care. One has since succumbed to his burns.
Sadly, on Tuesday this week the same area saw another fatal accident which claimed to lives in a truck and bus collision.
Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) Public Relations Manager, Thakane ‘Makananelo Sepipi, yesterday showed that four of the patients transferred to South Africa are still recovering while one has passed on.
“The good news in that the survivors who were at the QMMH ICU are all out of the ICU and they have all been transferred to the other patient ward,” Sepipi said. Earlier this week, Sepipi released a statement indicating that after the accident the affected passengers were taken to a hospital at Berea and with 14 later transferred to QMMH.
“The Director of Health Services, Dr Makhoasane Ranyali, along with the hospital management, rallied around the clock to help the working staffs, who were providing assistance with their nursing and medical skills. They helped from Saturday when patients arrived until Sunday without a break,” Sepipi said. She showed that the Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, also visited the patients at QMMH on Saturday night.
He encouraged and wished them a speedy recovery, and on Sunday Prime Minister Ntsokoane Matekane visited them for the same purpose accompanied by the Minister and Principal Secretary of the Ministry Transport, Minister Matjato Moteane and Tšepang Koele, respectively, as well as Deputy Principal Secretary Ministry of Health, ‘Matšoanelo Monyobi. “The hospital wishes the survivors a speedy and may God bless their families in this difficult time of caring for the patients,” Sepipi said.
Lesotho Economic Freedom Fighters (LEFF) has since released a statement on Sunday last week stating that the fatal accident in Kolonyama is not only painful to the families directly affected but also for the entire community.
They appealed for the government to extend a helping hand to end the tears of the people, “to accelerate the improvements of national roads to reduce accidents like these, assist bereaved families with arrangements for burying the remains of their relatives, to provide all provide assistance to those recovering in hospitals especially in ICU and to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of this disaster and to submit a report,” as well to take necessary measures.
“It is time for the government to take strong action to protect the lives of Basotho at all times. The government should take action to expand roads within the country and have a number of traffic police presents on the country’s roads day and night,” they stated.
LEFF went on to show that they cannot continue to watch the lives of Basotho being put at risk due to bad behaviour on the road or poor road conditions. “It is time for the government to take strong action to protect the lives of all, at all times. We will not remain silent and watch as the lives of Basotho are put at risk due to the bad behaviour of motorists, some under the influence of alcohol and drugs, failure to obey traffic rules, excessive speed and invalid driving licences,” the statement further stated.
Talking to Public Eye, Lesotho Mounted Police Services Public Relation Officer, Senior Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli, said, “13 people were reported to have been deceased on the spot, nine of them were from the sprinter, and four were from the small cars. While the other one died on the way to the hospital.”
He showed that there was a total of 37 people involved in the accident.
“There were 25 girls in the Sprinter, two adults who were their guardian and the driver and the conductor, there were five people in the other small car and three in the other car,” the police PRO added.
