Speaking at the same occasion, the Principal Secretary in the Transport Department of the Ministry of Works Thabo Motoko, said they were working on a policy that would enforce possession of defensive driving qualifications before any driver could be issued a public driver’s license. “We are coming to a point where no driver will be issued a public driver’s license without qualifying in defensive driving, as a measure to lessen the rate at which road accidents happen,” Motoko said. He said they also intend to create a database where information about each accident and drivers involved will be stored with the aim of establishing what statistics will reflect as a problem.

Khotso Moeketsi who lost his mother in a road accident at Lefikeng in Maseru, said he was traumatised by the incident, adding he also treaded passing by the scene of accident. Treasurer of the Maseru Region Transport Operators Association (MRTO) and Chairperson of Abia Transport Association, ’Malits’oanelo Rajele blamed the increasing number of accidents on the taxi operators. “They put pressure on their workers to meet a certain daily target and attempting to reach that mark, the drivers become reckless and cause accidents,” Rajele said.

On behalf of Abia drivers, Tanki Mofuma said the Lefikeng area is prone to car accidents, advising fellow drivers to be more cautious when driving in that area. At least five road-users including passengers and pedestrians were severely injured in road accidents that occurred recently near Lefikeng and all vehicles involved were taxi from Ha Abia.