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namib times SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6550 TUESDAY 3 MAY 2016 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
Couple tells of terrifying ten minutes as robbers target Lothar’s Steakhouse Floris Steenkamp A couple shared the story of their ordeal when a gang held them and several others hostage at Lothar's Steakhouse in Walvis th Bay's 6 Street on Sunday evening during an armed robbery. The gang of eight got away with more than N$200 000 in cash and also ripped out and took along a close circuit television system's recording console. The couple spoke on condition of anonymity as the wife is still heavily traumatised and they fear for their safety with the gang still at large. “We arrived at Lothar's Steak House at 17:45 to order a pizza. A silver-grey Golf 4 GTI with three occupants pulled up as we was about to enter the restaurant. I owned a similar vehicle and made remarks over the rims of the vehicle,” the man told namib times yesterday. As he and his wife entered the reception area they heard the door of the restaurant closing behind them and next was the distinctive noise of a semi-automatic pistol being cocked. “We knew at once we were caught in an armed robbery. The one man walked up to us and ushered us into the restaurant section with the words – be quiet”. They had to lay down. Two others went to other parts of the restaurant and at one stage we could hear
they were hitting and throwing to the floor a customer who panicked, he explained. As he knew the robbers would be going for cell phones and other valuables he took his cell phone and placed it on a chair. Shortly thereafter one of the robbers came to them and removed both he and his wife's cell phones and a wallet. “After another minute and a half we were told to get up and go to the toilet section of the restaurant. We were several at that stage. My wife was mortified by fear and look at the person we think is the leader of the gang for several seconds,” the man recalls. This angered the gang member and he hit the wife, leading to the man trying to fend off the attack. This angered gang member then attempted to pistolwhip the wife, leading to an injury to the man's left hand as he again tried to fend off the attack. “I realised that although all the gang Continues on page 2
SA Express flying again........
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Shot fired at Neighbourhood Watch
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Omake gives crime a hard time South African airline SA Express flight schedules returned to normal at 18:00 on Sunday after the airline’s Air Operator’s Certificate was suspended by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) on Friday for problems relating to its system of quality assurance. The travel arrangements of thousands of air travelers at airports around South Africa, but also Walvis Bay Airport and Hosea Kutako International Airport were plunged into abrupt chaos when the suspension came into force on Friday. The suspension lasted for 42 hours. For many there were poor prospects to travel to holiday destinations for the long weekend. SA Express battled it out under circumstances and relied on alternative airlines for support. The air carrier also chartered planes resulting in mostly delays. Passengers to Walvis Bay from Johannesburg were three hours late. SA Express is yet to make an announcement before the full impact on air travel would become known. “The important news is SA Express is flying again. We can at least return home as normal”, a couple of Walvis Bay currently on a short holiday break to Cape Town said over the weekend. They were delayed in their flight to Cape Town on Friday and temporarily lost hope for a normal return.
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Parents disgruntled with hospitality training institution
Swapo buys plot for a song after first renting the premises National for 83 cents per month Erwin Leuschner Page 5
The ruling party SWAPO can buy the erf in Swakopmund on which its headquarters are located on for N$220 000. That is despite the land valued at N$2 million. Town Council approved this transaction at the recent meeting and as a result face a barrage of concerns and objections raised by the Swakopmund Residents Association (SRA). The announcement of the bargain land deal came raised to N$220 000. At the meeting it was decias a surprise at the recent Council meeting, espe- ded that the transaction can now proceed accorcially since it was the Ministry of Urban and Rural dingly. Development that approved the sales price. The controversial Erf 3485 in Swakopmund has Initially the SWAPO dominated Council decided been making headlines for a number of years. The on a selling price of N$30 000, but this was now Continues on page 2
Sport Focus
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