A life devoted to fighting crime and uplifting society
DOCTOR by day and crime fighter by night, a 37-year-old Reservoir Hills man is quickly becoming a local hero to people in distress.
Kevin Naidu, who is often referred to as Doc Kev, is a medical doctor at King Edward VIII Hospital’s accident and emergency department.
When off duty, he takes off his coat and slips into a reflective jacket to patrol the streets with fellow concerned residents.
Due to the high levels of crime plaguing the community, Naidu decided to play his part in keeping the area safe and, together with his friend, Viren Seoraj, joined the Knight Crew Neighbourhood Watch Group, under the guidance of the Reservoir Hills Community Policing Forum, in October last year.
His passion to help, he says, goes beyond street patrols.
He often assists injured victims of crime, who are grateful for his efforts.
Speaking about a recent incident, Naidu says: “Viren and I were on patrol and a pedestrian was knocked by another car in front of us. We sprung into action.
“Viren grabbed the reflectives and torch and proceeded to direct traffic away from the victim, who was in the middle of the road. I rushed to the victim and started CPR.
“Another friend got on to one of the WhatsApp groups, requesting assistance as there were no ambulances in the immediate vicinity, so Crisis Medical dispatched one from Durban North to Reservoir Hills to assist. The patient was stabilised and transported to hospital.”
Naidu says serving the community is something he was born for.
“My family is well-known in the greater Durban area. My father, Mr R Naidu, was not only a respected mathematician but a community stalwart. He instilled in us the value of service to our fellowman.
“My dad and mother, Kistamma ‘Rose’, led by example in their dedication to the community in that they would help anybody and everybody.”
The seed to fight crime, however, was first planted when tragedy struck his home a few years ago.
One of his brothers was killed in a hijacking and a second brother died in a car crash.
His dad died shortly thereafter, due to illness. The three deaths took place within a period of five years.
The community of Reservoir Hills, he said, together with family and friends helped him through this difficult time and it was now his turn to repay the debt.
“I am a man for the community and loyal to the people because my father raised me in that manner.”
That is why he joined the neighbourhood watch group.
But he is quick to shy away from credit for the work he does. He believes he is no different from every other member of his team, who sacrifice time to be on the street with him.
Speaking about the neighbourhood watch, he says: “It was a subsidiary group to our main roads chat group. The patrol group is made up of members from all walks of life.
“This group has the support of the numerous other patrol groups, neighbourhood watches, active residents and our Reservoir Hills CPF, whose support has been invaluable to the growth and sustenance of our patrol team.
“Each and every member of the patrol team actively involves themselves in the safety of our roads, as well as lending support to patrol teams of the neighbouring streets of Reservoirs Hills.
“Our members work around the clock, despite having their own work and family responsibilities to assist the community whenever they are called upon.
“The Knight Crew has also engendered a culture of community among our members, in that we have formed a supportive network.
“As members of the Knight Crew, we consider ourselves a family as we have realised that in order to fight this scourge of crime we must stand together as a community.”
Naidu said the community had responded positively to their efforts and acknowledged their efforts in assisting the police and security companies in curbing crime in the area.
“The sense of community and togetherness that we have created in our patrol area is uplifting.
“We are an extended family keeping each other safe, from the oldest housewife alerting us to suspicious activity, to Viren who is always first on scene when there is trouble.”
He says he hardly finds time for himself between working at the hospital and community work but he would never trade it for anything else.
“Like my father before me, service to your fellow man comes second to individual pleasures.”
Naidu describes his 31-yearold wife, Sanjuri, an attorney and mom, as supportive and his pillar of strength.
Says Sanjuri: “My husband is an incredibly selfless man. He devotes every second of his day to serve others. If he is not going above and beyond for his patients at work, he is going above and beyond for his community.”
To this, he says: “The sacrifices I make now will make a better community for the future and I hope to inspire others to do the same in their areas and make time for the community they live in.”
He encourages his colleagues in the medical field to become active in their neighbourhoods.