News24.com | JUST IN: South African killed in Nairobi attacks

JUST IN: South African killed in Nairobi attacks

2019-01-16 19:05
Luke Potter.

Luke Potter.

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One of those killed in the attack in the attack on the DusitD2 complex in Nairobi, Kenya, has been named as South African Luke Potter.

Potter, 40, held dual South African/British citizenship and was in Kenya for the Gatsby Charitable Foundation as its Africa programmes director.

He had worked for the foundation for 10 years, three years of which were in East Africa.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened to confirm that Luke Potter was killed in the recent security incident in Nairobi," a statement from Gatsby said.

It said Potter had devoted the past ten years of his career to helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.

"Luke was instrumental in establishing our forestry programme and team in Kenya, and provided crucial leadership, guidance and support to our Tanzanian forestry programme and our tea programmes in Rwanda and Tanzania," the statement said.

Potter was born and schooled in Johannesburg and spent time in Durban.

His friend Nan Naidoo said she was devastated by the news.

"He was a gentle soul… he was South African born and bred. He loved doing uplifting work for the poor communities. Africa was his calling. He loved working in Africa and had a love and passion for working with people in Africa," Naidoo said.

Meanwhile, an American man who also died in the attack, was a consultant who survived the 9/11 attacks, reported AFP.

Although authorities didn't formally name Jason Spindler as one of the victims, his mother Sarah and brother Jonathan confirmed his death on Facebook and to several US media outlets.

"It's with a heavy heart that I have to report that my brother, Jason Spindler, passed this morning during a terror attack in Nairobi," Jonathan wrote on Facebook, in comments visible only to his friends.

"Jason was a survivor of 9-11 and a fighter. I am sure he gave them hell!"

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