FIVE members of a Zambian family of five yesterday died in a road traffic accident in the border town of Kasane in Botswana when the vehicle they were travelling in lost control after a tyre burst before flipping several times.
Only the father, identified as Emmanuel Kanswe, 51, who was the driver of the Toyota Prado, survived and is admitted to Gaborone Hospital in Botswana.
Those killed in the accident were Matilda 48, wife to Mr Kanswe, three sons and a daughter.
A close family member, Regina Yalubamba identified the four children as Kunda 22, (daughter) and three sons; Mfunta, 18; Chama, 15, and Chibwe, 13.
Ms Yalubamba, who is the sister to Mr Kanswe confirmed the death of the five family members in an interview yesterday.
It is believed that one of the front tyres burst while the car was in motion resulting in the accident which claimed five lives on the spot. The brand new Toyota Prado rolled several times.
Ms Yalubamba said the five were on their way to Francistown in Botswana.
‘They came from Chingola and were travelling to Francis Town in Botswana before they met their fate at Kasane town in Botswana,” she said.
She said Mr Kanswe had been working as a metallurgist at one of the mines in Botswana from last year and was in Zambia to pick his family so that they could join him.
“This time the family was joining him in that country. The wife and her daughter came from Chingola and linked up with the three sons living in Livingstone where the husband had come to meet them.
“On their way back, he had a front tyre burst which led to the accident and subsequently the overturning of the vehicle,” she said.
Ms Yalubamba said the five bodies were in a private mortuary in Kasane
waiting for postmortem to be conducted today.
She said the funeral gathering is at 26-13th Street in Nchanga South in Chingola and that the bodies would be transported to Chingola for burial.
In Kitwe, Thomas Kapumpe reports that an employee of Kuko Mining is believed to have been crashed to death when the driver of the truck he was on lost control and overturned after the drive shaft broke.
The accident happened around 16:00hours at Sabina near Mwambishi stream the Tipper Truck registration number ACL 8737 belonging to PQ&C Investment carrying low grade copper material lost control.
The truck was carrying 20 tonnes of the material from Kitwe to Bolo Mining in Chambishi.
A Times Crew that arrived at the scene, found the employee who sat on the passenger side still trapped in the hose of the truck as the Fire Brigade and Power Tool Transport were trying to remove him.
Intestines believed to be of the employee were picked from outside the truck and packed in a sack.
According to eye witnesses, the universal joint of the truck broke causing the driver to lose control.
[Times of Zambia]
The Kanswe family, condolences. loosing one loved is unbearable, cant imagine what the family is going through loosing 5 at a go. My heart goes out to you and you will be in my prayers for God to give you strength to pull through. I kow it wont be easy
That is very sad. It will only take God to truly comfort the survivor.
Condolences to the family, and may God help you during this very difficult time.
Sad to hear that five family on the time. condolences.R.I.P
MTSRIP!!!
Very sad development.
Really Sad development . .. God be with the family
I can’t imagine the pain and loss.
Am really sorry to hear about that family.What a tragedy ! That includes the victims in the truck incidence.MTSRIP
These are Jehovah’s witness family,
Mr. Kanswe,
My heart goes to you. Remember HIS Words. He will give us rest.
CONDOLENCIES. BUT IS IT THE VEHICLE THAT LOSES CONTROL OR THE DRIVER? I AM JUST ASKING AS I AM REALLY PUZZLED BY THIS PHRASE.
Good question. Atishani ba LT?
I remember Mr. Kanswe at KCM Plc. He was a workmate and a humble man. I remember him as a quite darkish medium height man. He is an introvert.
So sad I knew the whole family personally. Worked with the dad for a number of years in ZCCM/KCM
No words, May their souls rest in peace. Mr Kanswe was trying to do the best for his family but the devil had his plans.
VERY SAD DEVELOPMENT,MAY THEIR SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE
I have noticed this happening several times when LT is reporting deaths. You mention names of the deceased and it leaves wondering whether family members agree to this. It is a sad way of finding out the death of a loved one and particularly those very close to the deceased. If you are granted permission, then its ok
To bad
Though not judging knowing the kanswe family well, they had made a good name with jehovah during there life time and believe through his aboundant mercy they will be remembered.
It is a very sad tragedy which was unfortunate to occur to an entire family. It is even tragic that the head of the family, who was driving is the only one surviving the accident for now. Most likely, he was wearing his seat belt and I only hope the rest of the family members, especially the wife on passengers seat had seeat belt on as well. May the relatives find comfort and solace in God’s word. MTSRIP!!!
MTSRIP
That was tragic. May Their Souls Rest In Eternal Peace. What a tragedy.
My heart goes out to Mr. Kanswe. I know in such moments we tend to question God as to why? We pray that u take it as it is, only He knows as He is always watching over us. I travelled on that road every time with my whole family of five children from 1991 to 2005 and always escaped calamities, tyre bursts, elephants, lions etc.. Dont blame urself for what has happened. its not an easy road to travel on. Its incidences like these which make me realise that things happen for a purpose it is our duty to find out what the purpose could be in this incident. May their souls RIP.
My heartfelt condolences to the family. May the presence of God our father overshadow the family. Mr Kanswe was my neighbour and workmate in Chingola. I pray for his quick recovery and strength to come through this tragedy.
sorry dear friends for this loss, a big loss not only to the immedate family to Zambia as a whole.
RIEP
SHAME!
Must be SO HARD to let go of your family like that.
I hope he recovers, but the loss is to unbearable….
This is sad. Really sad. Am touched.
Cannot believe that it happened to Mr Kanswe that I worked with at KCM. This is an unbearable loss that most of us cannot handle.
Iwe No#8 Jason, how do you know the family is jehova’s witness?
Sad its God who knows why such happens prayers only
Sad
lusaka times should visit chingola that picture was taken in colonial days
Very sad indeed. My heart goes out to Mr. Kanswe, may he find comfort in God
Dear God!! i can even start imagining what a nightmare this is to the family and friends. Losing one family member is hard enough but 5 is just unbearable. Wishing Mr Kanswe quick recovery and i earnestly pray that God gives him divine strength.
Lord have mercy! Chisomo.
We are all sad. We thank God for their lives. Ask God to give the surviving husband strength to go on. Work hard in Botswana and achieve the pride of his beloved family that has perished. We will remember them.
touching indeed,may the LORD see his people thru
Its very very sad indeed.I work with Mrs Kanswe she was a very good midwife.What a loss, losing such grownup children.God grant the family the peace that surpasses human understanding.
31 don’t you know the shopping area buildings haven’t changed since 1931?Those shops shown in the picture still exist, therefore the picture is okay to me atleast.
Very very sad indeed. MTSRIEP.
We told you to come back from the diaspora and these are the results.
pf please let our people freeeee…!
What a loss!
may their souls rest in peace’ it’s my hope that the lord will grant him the strength to muv on thru this trying moment’ l personally had near death experince’ my husband works on the copperbelt’ and l work in lusaka awaiting a transfer’ while traveling on a public bus going to the copperbelt our bus was involved in an accident and the whole bus burnt down’ l had to jump thru the window with my two kids, about ten people died on the spot including the driver’ so l can just imagine the trauma the man will go
its really sad, knowing the family more over we are related, its really painful. Its not an easy situation to handle but we can only cry to Jehovah for strengthen & help.
Revalation 21:4
May God grant this family the strength to pull through this tragedy. Very sad indeed!
MTSRIP
What a tragedy. So sad!
Death is a mystery that we shall never understand.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amen!
These were Jehovah’s true worshipers, and to Jehovah they are just sleeping in death, and Jehovah shall surely awaken them up for they are in his memory, and its up to us to do Jehovah will those that have remained so that Jehovah remembers us too.Remember the world will pass away but those doing Jehovah’s will will enjoy live in a restored paradise.
Still can’t believe this…the whole family gone. Kunda, my friend shuwa…seeing your name in the paper…you’re truely gone…I really can’t believe this…
Lord help Mr Kanswe.
May their souls rest in paece. Only God can comfort the family. very sad indeed.
My heart felt condolences for such a tragic loss, MTSRIP. By His Grace Mr. Kanswe will come out of this even stronger and will still fulfill his GOD given purpose in life. Our prayers will be with you and your family.
For ALL of you who have contributed to this story I say thank you for your WORDS of COMFORT. I am the young brother to Mr. Kanswe. I have been in Botswana with Rebecca & Davis the young siblings to the late Mrs Kanswe since Monday 27/08/12 making arrangements to bring the bodies to Zambia for burial. All the necessary arrangements have since been concluded and we start off for Chingola, Zambia on Wednesday 5/09/12. Burial is tentatively set for Thursday 6/09/12.
This is a great tragedy indeed and my thoughts and prayers go out to Mr Kanswe,family and friends.
I hav been friendz with kunda eva since primary n iv kwn her whole family i still cnt beliv my diva is gone no more,my friendz from our class cnt get ova this loss we hav lost to ov our classmates who r both kundaz in two yearz..
*tear dropx*
When most of the world has moved on and forgotten about you i still remember you and cry. i was very close to every one in that car. i will always remember you people you were a family to me. may Jehovah keep you in his memory and i hope i run my race to the finish so that we meet again in the world he has promised us. the pain though is to much.