Renthia Kaimbi
A series of painful events has struck the office of urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa, ending in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of his designated driver and bodyguard.
The chain of events began last month when Sankwasa’s official vehicle was broken into and his mobile phones were stolen. The incident raised concerns about security around Sankwasa.
Soon after, grief hit his personal assistant, whose son died by suicide. The child was buried last weekend.
The most severe tragedy occurred on Friday evening. After dropping Sankwasa at his residence, his driver, 50-year-old Lukas Nangolo, and his bodyguard, 38-year-old George Shiluwa, were involved in a car accident with two other vehicles.
The accident happened at the intersection of Rocky Crest and Khomasdal at around 19h50.
Both Nangolo and Shiluwa died on the scene.
In an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Sunday, Sankwasa described the two men as “heaven sent”.
Nangolo had also served as his driver when Sankwasa was deputy minister of works and transport from 2015 to 2020.
“It happened, and it’s very terrible. Nangolo was closer, not only to me but to my whole family in Zambezi. He knew both my mother’s side and my father’s side, all of them. He related so much to my aunties and uncles that they even called him their grandson.
“I fully understand and accept that God gave me the best officers I worked with, but it’s God who has taken them. May His name be praised,” he said.
Sankwasa said he could not sleep on Friday after receiving the news.
“I was asking too many questions with no answers. I was saying I buried my PA’s son on Saturday. On Sunday I flew to Katima with Shiluwa. We went to address the last rally in the Linyanti constituency. They took me to vote, and we came back on Thursday. On Friday I was with them until 19:30. Twenty minutes after they left me here (his residence), I was told that they are gone,” he said.
He described Shiluwa as someone who was very handy.
“You know, it’s as if these guys were God-sent. Their mannerisms, the joyfulness in their lives?” he said.
Sankwasa said he plans to write personal tributes for both Nangolo and Shiluwa and hopes their funerals are not held on the same day so he can attend both.
A witness said the two officers were at the wrong place at the wrong time and drove into an attempted robbery involving one of the vehicles that later collided with theirs.
The Namibian Police (Nampol) said in its weekend report that a motorist crashed into the government vehicle where Nangolo and Shiluwa were in.
The impact pushed their vehicle into another car, an Amarok, killing Nangolo and Shiluwa on the spot.
