Karibib farm victim dies

LOTTIE Jooste (89) who was attacked by three men on a farm near Karibib on Saturday, died on Monday evening.

Auntie Lottie was living with her son, Albert Jooste, on the farm Riksburg, 20 km east of Karibib.While her son was elsewhere on the farm on Saturday, three assailants entered the farmhouse and assaulted the elderly woman and her housekeeper, Selma Kavari, before tying them up.The assailants also fired at the farmworkers before fleeing the scene. Nothing was reported missing except a pair of shoes.Kavari sustained serious facial injuries and was admitted to a hospital in Usakos. Auntie Lottie, who sustained a broken thighbone, had to be transferred to a hospital in Windhoek for surgery. Although she was doing well on Sunday and Monday, her condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday evening and she died shortly afterwards.A neighbouring farmer told The Namibian that Albert Jooste was in Windhoek with his mother until Sunday, but had to return to the farm to sort out water-supply problems.’He still called her on Monday to hear how she was doing, and she seemed fine. Then Freddie Herzberg [a friend and farmer in the district] also informed Albert that he would go and visit Lottie in hospital,’ he said. ‘Freddie called later to say that her condition was deteriorating; and that an emergency operation had to be done. But before the operation could take place, she apparently passed away.’’This is a major loss to the community. She was a much-loved person, and it’s just a tragedy that she had to go this way,’ he said.The Namibian also spoke to Herzberg yesterday.’I was there to visit her because I had business to do in Windhoek. Just before I left her room, before 19h00, I called Albert to tell him that her condition was really bad. A nurse came and immediately called for a doctor,’ he said. According to him, this is a ‘great loss for the farming community’.’We farmers will not just stop there, though. With the assistance of the Police, we will do all in our power to keep our people and properties safe from such crime,’ Herzberg said.Another source, who had just come from Jooste’s farm, yesterday said that no arrests had been made yet.The Namibian tried to contact Chief Inspector Charles Sibolile, Erongo’s Chief Crime Investigation Coordinator, for comment but he was not available.