Hostage drama over
2007-10-31 12:43
Johannesburg - The 20-year-old Durban man who held a Lenasia South family hostage for nearly six hours has given himself up.
Donovan Naidoo had earlier released two of the hostages, 23-year-old Denise Bathman and her one-year-old son Jodash.
He later released the other two hostages, 27-year-old Gerald Bathman and 16-year-old Praise Archary.
Naidoo held 27-year-old Gerald Bathman, his wife, Denise, 23, Praise Archary, 16 and Jodash at gunpoint and demanded to speak to his ex-girlfriend who is the sister of one of the hostages.
Sweetie Archary, the father of two of the hostages, told Sapa about events leading up to the hostage drama.
"My eldest daughter Viola Archary, 28, is in a bad state. She broke up with the hostage taker two months ago and he had warned her that he was coming to get her."
Archary said Naidoo was from Durban and did not live in Lenasia prior to the incident.
"Donovan had SMSed Viola earlier telling her that if she does not speak to him then he would kill the baby and Denise," Archary said.
Archary said that his daughter was traumatised and would not speak to anyone.
"I pray that my children are safe at the end of it," he said.
- SAPA