A 20-year-old Durban man who held a Lenasia South family hostage for nearly six hours on Wednesday 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.
Earlier during the drama, police spokesperson Captain Julia Klaassen said that negotiators were talking to the hostage-taker.
”Right now it seems as if he is going to give himself up to police. However, I don’t want to say anything further as it might jeopardise negotiations,” said Klaassen.
A family of four were being held hostage in their home at Pikespeak Road, Lenasia South.
Naidoo was holding 27-year-old Gerald Bathman, his wife Denise Bathman (23), Praise Archary (16) and one-year-old Jodash at gunpoint and had 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 the South African Press Association 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