Pensioner assaulted during farm attack

VIOLENCE shook the farm Riksburg in the Karibib district on Saturday morning when a small group of unidentified men assaulted and seriously injured an old lady and her housekeeper before firing several shots at the farmworkers.

News of the attack spread like wildfire among the farming community, resulting in an extended search until dark, with the assistance of the Police and the helicopter of Freddie Herzberg.According to a reliable source, Lottie Jooste (89), who lives with her son, Albert Jooste, on the farm Riksburg about 20 km east of Karibib, was enjoying a cup of coffee in the farmhouse kitchen when she was attacked by three men.’It looked like they got hold of her while she was still having breakfast because a mug of coffee was still on the table with the rusks when we got there,’ the source said. ‘They must have beaten her up there before dragging her into the [living room] where they just left her, and where Albert eventually found her.’It seems as if the housekeeper, Selma Kavari, may have walked in on the scene because, according to the source, she was also assaulted and tied up.’Somehow the farmworkers were alerted to the situation, but when they came to inspect, the suspects opened fire on them, forcing them to flee. ‘One of the workers ran to Albert at the post where he was working and alerted him to the trouble. When he arrived, the suspects were gone, and he found his mom badly hurt in the living room,’ the source said.The housekeeper was taken to hospital at Usakos and was treated for injuries to her face. Lottie Jooste had to be taken to a Windhoek hospital for surgery.According to the source, her thighbone was broken and a pin had to be inserted.’We looked for things that could have been stolen, but there seemed to be nothing. We also inspected the gun safe, but everything seemed to be in place. You must understand. It was chaotic at the time, and so a proper evaluation of what could have been the motive for this senseless attack still has to be done,’ the source said.’We followed the tracks. It looked like they were on their way on foot to Otjimbingwe, but once around the mountain, we found the track heading straight to Karibib,’ he said.By yesterday afternoon, no one had been arrested. The farmers had withdrawn from the search, but a large Police team was combing the area, the source said.The Police could not provide any further information.The Namibian tried to contact Albert Jooste at his farmhouse yesterday afternoon, but there was no answer.