WALVIS BAY - An employee of Husab Mine collapsed and died shortly afterwards while on site on Friday evening. This was confirmed over the weekend by the chief operating officer of the mine Angula Kalili. 

Kalili said the employee collapsed while walking from a maintenance job at the mine’s acid plant to get a tool needed for a job they were busy with. He added that the cause of death at this stage is still under investigation. “At the moment, we don’t know what he died from but we know he has asthma because he tried to use his inhaler moments before he collapsed. What we need to determine from the autopsy is what triggered the attack,” Kalili explained. He added the employee was due for a check-up this week. According to the incident report seen by New Era, paramedics attended to the deceased and managed to stabilise him for transportation to Swakopmund for hospitalisation. 

“Unfortunately during the transportation between site and the hospital, the employee passed away,” the memo, issued by the company to staff, read. Following his death, the mine stopped all operations so that a preliminary investigation could be carried out. Operations resumed on Saturday afternoon. Kalili indicated that the next of kin were already notified and the name of the deceased was also released to the employees of the mine. Meanwhile, another man also died on Saturday in Swakopmund. 

Crime investigations coordinator for Erongo, Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu yesterday said the man was stabbed to death, in front of Komilunga Bar in Erica Tsuses Street in Mondesa. A 26-year-old man was arrested at the scene after he fatally stabbed the deceased with a broken bottle on the left side of his neck during a fight. “The deceased died on the spot. His name cannot be revealed at this stage as we are still trying to trace his next of kin,” Iikuyu said. The suspect will appear in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court today for murder. 
– edeklerk@nepc.com.na