Search for answers
YEARS after their loved ones were killed in alleged hits, several families are still searching for answers and waiting for justice.
Colin Pather, 50, a senior manager at the eThekwini Municipality, was gunned down outside his home in Shallcross in 2019. He used a lift club to get to work.
Pather had just arrived home and while he was unlocking his driveway gate, a lone gunman shot him in the neck before fleeing in a white car. His mother and uncle tried to help him but Pather died at the scene.
His sister, Charlene, believes his death was not a random robbery gone wrong.
“My brother had R1 500 in his wallet and nothing was taken. He was also shot at the back of his neck. He was not the type of person to have enemies. He worked for the finance department at the municipality and through various media reports, everyone knows there are allegations of corruption in this department,” she said.
“How does a person cope with something like this? There is not a day that goes by where my brother’s name is not mentioned. With the holidays ahead, my family will go into a silent sadness on December 12, which will mark four years since Colin was killed.”
Pather said to date no one had been arrested.
“We are in limbo. Some days are better than others. We are praying that justice will prevail.”
Vinesh Lewis, the owner of Akeel’s Transport in Lotus Park, Isipingo, was shot in the face while leaving his business premises in March 2022.
Although injured and bleeding profusely, Lewis, 56, of Orient Hills, drove to a hospital in the Isipingo CBD. He also telephoned his son to inform him that he had been shot. Lewis, however, died soon after arriving at the hospital.
Jason Lewis, his son, said: “I have played out so many scenarios in my head about my father’s killing and everything points to a possible hit. He was shot at close range in an isolated area.
“My father had a watch valued at R150000 on him. He also had a gold neck chain and hand chains. They took nothing, not even his cellphone or his car.
“They fled empty handed.” He said he remembered seeing his dad’s wounds at the hospital.
“His jaw was shattered and blood was flowing like water from a tap. It was horrible. His death has left us broken. I call the police every week for an
update and they say they are waiting for the post-mortem results. A year has passed and we have no answers. His killer/s could be long gone.”
Sunil Brijmohan, a former eThekwini ward councillor, was shot in the head in eManzimtoti in October 2022. The shooter fled without taking anything from him. In January, four men were arrested for his killing. In October, two of them pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 years.
Raymond Sakloo, his friend, said: “I always believed it was a hit because of the way he was killed.
There are not many families that get to see justice like we did. However, in this case the mastermind is still out there. During the court case it emerged that the two accused were paid R20000 to commit the crime. Is that the value of life?”
Police did not comment at the time of publication.