Late Train Driver Loved Trains Unto Death
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday December 16, 2019 16:26
The train driver, was one of the two people who died when a passenger train derailed and overturned near Mahalapye.
The Francistown-bound train had about 400 passengers on board, who escaped with minor injuries.
The speakers said he had an option of going to the University of Botswana and Molepolole College of Education after he completed his high school education at Shashe River School, but chose to seek employment at BR.
He worked for the Ministry of Agriculture before he achieved his dream of getting employed at BR.
A cousin to Tshwanela said when the deceased visited her during her stay in the United Kingdom, he visited various train stations in London to observe their operations.
Tshwanela was also described as a law-abiding citizen who was also humble, caring, obedient and trustworthy.
The Member of Parliament for Tonota, Pono Moatlhodi pleaded with the Minister of Transport and Communications, Thulagano Segokgo to carry out an investigation, to determine the cause of the accident.
Segokgo, who also spoke at the funeral, promised to institute thorough investigations into the train crash.
Speaking at the funeral of one of the employees, Boipuso Benson Tshwanela in Tonota on Saturday, Segokgo said the State will make sure that thorough and comprehensive investigations are carried out to determine the cause of the accident.
“I have assembled a team of investigators to find out what happened during the accident. I have assigned an investigator from my ministry to investigate what happened. For transparency reasons, the investigator is not from BR.
“I expect him to give me a preliminary report of what happened in the not-so distant future, which I will reveal, to the public. I will then wait for the investigators to furnish me with a comprehensive report later.”