Selma Ikela
Windhoek-August Maletzky survived two gunshots on Monday evening as he was reversing out of his residence in Windhoek West. Maletzky, the director of African Labour and Human Rights Center, said he is usually in the company of his four-year-old son but he was alone that evening. He escaped unhurt.
One of the bullets went through the driver’s window and ripped through the dashboard.
The incident happened at 19h30 and the shots, fired by unknown person, came from the right side of the vehicle and were evidently directed at him. He said there is a wall on the right side of the house and as he reversed the person must have leant across the wall to fire the shots.
“It reduces someone’s sense of security dramatically. You are supposed to be safe at you own place of residence. If someone is waiting for you firing deadly shots, then (sighs)… luckily I am alive,” Maletzky told New Era yesterday.
“I don’t know who these people are, I couldn’t see them. After the first shot was fired I ducked and lay low inside the car. When the second shot came I continued lying in that position until close to a minute and emerged out of the vehicle,” he recounted.
He said by then he had called the City Police who soon arrived at the scene. Maletzky said the officer collected one spent cartridge.
Maletzky said he is still trying to rationalize everything that happened.
“I was taken off guard and it is something I never expected to happen. I am flabbergasted and don’t want to make speculations or comment on who could have done it. Let the police do their investigations,” he said.