OMUTHIYAGWIIPUNDI - Tourists entering and exiting the Etosha National Park were yesterday stranded at the Anderson gate outside Okaukuejo for close to an hour, as the keys were allegedly nowhere to be found. 

The environment ministry later issued an apology for the delay. “The ministry wishes to apologise to the public and our esteemed clients. For almost an hour delay in opening the Anderson gate of the Etosha National Park this morning. The gate opened at 07:07 instead of 06:25 at sunrise,” reads the statement by the ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda. 

Pictures circulated on social media, with claims that the police officers had lost the keys to the gate. 
However, Muyunda could not deny or confirm that the key was indeed lost. 

“We sincerely apologise for the delay and inconvenience this might have caused. The keys to the gate are kept by the police who are responsible for the overall security aspect of the park,” adds the statement.