A catastrophic road accident early Saturday on the B1 highway near Mariental, roughly 270 kilometers south of Windhoek, has left fourteen people dead and several others critically injured.
Police confirmed that the collision involved two state-owned vehicles: a police van and a Namibian Prison Service vehicle. According to Hardap’s Deputy Police Commissioner, John Mwatongela, the police van was transporting six people—five officers and a civilian—while the prison service vehicle carried 13 occupants. The crash proved fatal for eleven prison officers, one police officer, and two civilians. Three survivors were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conveyed her condolences, describing the tragedy as a profound loss not only for the bereaved families but also for Namibia’s law enforcement and correctional institutions. She further called for collective support for the grieving families and prayed for the recovery of those still fighting for their lives.
“This devastating incident highlights persistent concerns around road safety in Namibia, particularly on major national highways like the B1, which has witnessed repeated fatal accidents in recent years. While condolences from leadership provide moral comfort, the scale of the loss—especially within key security services—raises urgent questions about road safety enforcement, vehicle maintenance standards, and the high risks faced by officers frequently traveling long distances on duty” A road safety analyst had noted.
