By CHATULA KAMPO –
MACHIYA area in Mpongwe has remained cut off from the rest of the district after a truck laden with maize and fish caused the sinking of the pontoon on the Kafue River on Saturday last week.
The pontoon was ferrying a Hino truck, ABT 4386 carrying 50 bags of maize and bundles of fish when it sunk.
Area councillor Alex Ntambo in an interview yesterday said the pontoon and the truck were still stuck in the river and that the local authority had provided a small boat as a mode of transport.
Mr Ntambo said business in the area was at a standstill, as the council boat and other private canoes were too small to carry any luggage.
“The council boat is only carrying seven to 10 people per trip and the canoes are carrying three to five people without luggage,” he said.
Mr Ntambo said the case was reported to the Police, the District Commissioner’s office and other relevant authorities.
He said the local authority was still waiting for engineers from ESCO Limited, the company that operates the pontoon.
“We informed ESCO Limited on Saturday after the accident, we are still waiting for their engineers to come and work on the pontoon and retrieve the truck from the river,” he said.
The councillor said the small boat from the council and the private canoes were not a safe mode of transport to cross the river.
