He died defending his community
Ayearafter Kathidasen (Seni) Naidoo was killed in a hit and run while on a community watch shift during the July unrest, his family are still reeling from his death.
His daughter Sharlene Naidoo said they have just completed a year’s prayer, according to religious customs, a week ago and they are just taking each day as it comes.
“My mother still waits for him. It has been a difficult time for us. We try to take one day at a time. A year on, and we still are waiting for justice. He was so excited to go and help protect his community that night. We hope that in time, our family will get closure,” said Sharlene.
Naidoo, a Manor resident, was volunteering for his community watch patrol last year when he became a victim of a hit-and-run accident. He died in hospital on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
Eyewitness and member of the community, Roy Naidoo, said the motorist was driving recklessly and did not stop at the signal. The motorist fled the scene on foot.
“Everything happened so quickly. We were standing by the road outside the Manor Butchery and the bakery. We had lit a fire. All the side roads had been cordoned off. We then heard a screeching motorist coming from the Echo Road direction towards the butchery.
“He was driving in a zigzag. We thought the driver was going to stop at the stop sign, but he did not. He could have stopped. We then decided to move away from each other and that is when the driver hit Naidoo. He landed on the road. The driver then hit a vehicle and stopped. He got out of his vehicle and ran away towards the Manor Road grounds,” said Roy.
Naidoo’s wife Runjanee said her husband was happy after hearing President Cyril Ramaphosa praise the community for caring for each other during the protest, just hours before his death.
“Seni wanted to do his part to care for the community. He would leave home at 5.30pm to meet with the rest of the men. He came home just after 8pm. He had supper and then he was watching the president’s speech.
“Before he returned to the watch group, he told me not to wait up for him. I told him I will wait for him. Seni then left for the next half of the watch shift,” said Runjanee.
Her neighbour called her just after 10pm telling her to check on Naidoo, saying she needed to go to the patrol point. When she got there, she found him on the ground.
“He was lying in a pool of blood. I heard everyone screaming for the ambulance or police, but they were also saying that no one would come to assist due to the protest. There was a community member who took Seni in his van to the hospital. We do not know who the man was but we are very thankful to him,” said Runjanee.
She added that Naidoo will be remembered for always helping the community. “He was a carpenter and a craftsman. Over the last year of his life, his work was affected by Covid-19. He always helped around the flats with plumbing or fitting a globe,” said the emotional Runjanee.
In the 40 years she was married
to Naidoo, the pair had never had a meal apart
“We have never eaten a meal without each other. This all feels unreal.”
Sharlene said that they will be pursuing the incident with the relevant authorities.