Victims and families still await justice
DATE: January 27-31 HEADLINE: Prayer sites desecrated
A NORTH Coast family claimed that land that belonged to them was illegally expropriated in 2015. But the KwaDukuza Municipality had said the property was registered under the municipality and the expropriation was done lawfully.
In January, the prayer area that comprised a puthu (an anthill some Hindus believe is sacred) and an ancestral site where the family offered food each year during Pitru Paksha was demolished.
The only site that was spared was a memorial plot where some of the ashes of 74-year-old Nirmala Devi Maharaj’s husband were buried in 2010.
Sipho Mkhize, the municipality’s media liaison officer, at the time said: “Please note the municipality has been and is doing everything by the book. If the sources in this matter feel that the municipality’s actions are unjust, they are free to visit the courts.”
At the time, the family said they did not have money to institute court action.
UPDATE: Maharaj's daughter-in-law, Indhera, who still lives on some of the land, said: “New houses have been built on the land, including on the prayer sites. We fear they could come back to take more of our land.”
DATE: March 10-14 HEADLINE: Widow, 67, allegedly raped
A 67-YEAR-OLD pensioner was allegedly robbed and raped in her Phoenix home.
A 48-year-old man, who was known in the community as he offered garden services, was arrested and appeared in the Verulam Magistrate's Court. He was later released on bail.
The woman’s family at the time said the accused allegedly demanded jewellery and money. They said when she told him she did not have jewellery, he pushed her upstairs and into the bedroom where she gave him R1 000 from her handbag. However, he allegedly instructed her to remove her clothing.
The family said when she refused, he forcefully undressed and allegedly raped her.
UPDATE: The trial has been set for April next year. A relative said: “She lives in fear that he will return and hurt her again.”
DATE: April 14-18 HEADLINE: Maggots infested wound
RANI Nadesan, 55, of Canelands, in Verulam, was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and battled to walk. Her legs often swelled and she needed ongoing treatment.
In February she developed three blisters on her left leg and it later became inflamed and filled with pus.
In March, she was admitted to Osindisweni Hospital outside Verulam. But after the treatment she allegedly received, she begged to be discharged. When she returned home, her wound was infested with maggots. She was then taken to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Phoenix and discharged about a week later.
The family wrote to the KZN Department of Health asking that Nadesan’s treatment at Osindisweni Hospital be investigated.
Ntokozo Maphisa, a spokesperson for the department, said at the time that the department was not aware of the matter until it was raised by the POST.
“... However, we can confirm that a particular patient was initially admitted and treated accordingly for a week, and then discharged. The patient was asked to return to the hospital for further treatment if the need arose,” he said.
Maphisa said the hospital was continuing to gather more facts regarding the allegations and would provide a full report to the department in due course. UPDATE: Nadesan has since died. Her sister, Mary Naidoo, said: “We believe she was not able to fully recover because of the poor treatment she received at the hospital.”
The department did not respond to questions regarding the investigation.
DATE: May 5-9 HEADLINE: Bodybuilder slain in hail of bullets
THE trial of four men accused of killing Sanjay Juggernath, a Clairwood businessman and bodybuilder, started in the Durban Regional Court.
On the morning of December 22, 2018, Juggernath, 34, was shot and killed at the corner of Ganesh and Flower roads in Clairwood. According to the post-mortem report, Juggernath died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Bilal Shaik, 43, Alistair Govender, 36, Brandon Armugan, 30, and Leon Veerasamy, 30, were arrested and charged with murder. The men, who are represented by advocate Willie Lombard, pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial. The four accused were also shot.
After the state closed its case in October, the accused, via their attorney, applied for a Section 174 to have the charges against them dropped. However, the magistrate refused the application. The accused are on bail.
UPDATE: The trial was adjourned to April next year, for the defence’s case. Ritesh Juggernath, Sanjay's brother, said: “December 22 marked three years since we lost our brother and a son. The wait for justice continues and our family feels it has been delayed for too long. Our dad, who used to attend all the court cases, died last November without seeing justice being served.”
DATE: June 2-6 HEADLINE: Phoenix man threatens legal action against Home Affairs
MADURAY Moodley, 38, of Phoenix, had been trying to get an identity document from the Department of Home Affairs for 17 years. Without an identity document, his life, he said, was at a standstill.
Moodley said he could only do casual work over the years at stores that belong to family and friends. He used his earnings to help support his mother, 66, with whom he lives.
Moodley said he decided to apply for his ID after he turned 21 in 2004.
He said this was when he discovered someone else had been using his personal details.
In 2019, he contacted attorney Serisha Inderjeeth for assistance and they wrote to the minister of Home Affairs and the acting director-general for the department. The POST approached the provincial and national department of home affairs, who said they would investigate.
UPDATE: Moodley collected his ID on July 29. “It is a bitter-sweet feeling as many years have passed without being able to accomplish so many things in my life such as getting a driver's licence, or a proper job while I was younger. However, I am grateful that I have an identity now,” he said.
DATE: June 9-13 HEADLINE: Accused ‘waited for visitors to leave’
TWO men accused of robbing and killing an Overport businesswoman made their first appearance in the Durban High Court.
Premla Moodliar, 72, who owned and lived alone in a building on Moses Kotane (Sparks) Road, was found dead in her flat by a maintenance worker in May last year.
Moodliar, a retired deputy principal, was allegedly found with her hands tied behind her back with tape. Her mouth was also taped. Her home had been ransacked.
Bhekokhwake Penuel Magubane, 37, of Inanda, and Mandlakayise Bhapeni Gumede, 34, who lived on the same premises as Moodliar, were arrested and charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder a month later.
UPDATE: The matter has been set down for trial from May to June next year.
Moodliar’s daughter, Seshni Moodliar-Rensburg, said: “I am happy the trial dates have been set. I am hoping for
justice for my mom. It has been a really difficult time for our family.”
DATE: July 21-25 HEADLINE: Family search for answers
DESAGAN Raman, 34, of Todd Street, was assisting the community in Dawncrest during the unrest in July when he was allegedly knocked in an apparent hit-and-run. The father of one died at the scene.
Kaveshni Raman-Surubgit, his sister, said a police officer had answered Raman’s cellphone and told them to go to the police station.
She had said: “We were told he was knocked in a two-vehicle collision. All we know is that he went out to help the community.”
UPDATE: Raman-Surubgit said they had found out two months ago that her brother was shot in the head and not killed in a hit-and-run.
“My mom pressurised the police for information and the post-mortem said he died from a penetrating gunshot wound to the head. This all is still hard to process.”
Captain Nqobile Gwala, a provincial police spokesperson, said the matter was still being investigated.
DATE: July 21-25 HEADLINE: A nation in pain – ‘My child’s killer must be found’
FAYBIAN Moodley, 17, of Trenance Park in Verulam, was shot and killed while assisting the community stand guard at the area’s entrances during the unrest.
It is alleged he was shot after three or four men, who were trying to sneak through the sports ground to get into the area, opened fire as the community members approached them with the aim of chasing them away.
Moodley was shot under the arm and died at the scene. At the time his mother, Tashleen Moodley, said: “If it weren't for the unrest and looting that took place, my child would still be here today. He went out to defend his community and never returned home.” UPDATE: Tashleen Moodley said: “The person is out there walking freely, while I suffer day and night without my baby.”
Captain Gwala said the matter was still being investigated.
DATE: August 25-29 HEADLINE: Witness in graft probe killed
BABITA Deokaran, 53, of Mondeor, south of Johannesburg, was shot and killed outside her complex gate on August 23.
She had returned home from dropping off her daughter, 16, at school and while waiting to enter her property, gunmen opened fire on her vehicle.
She sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Deokaran was taken to hospital where she died a few hours later. Deokaran was the chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health.
She was also a key witness in the Special Investigations Unit’s (SIU) investigation into the department for personal protective equipment-related fraud. At the time, her family said they believed her death could be linked to her being a witness in the investigation.
Shortly after her killing, seven men were arrested at a house in Rosettenville in Joburg. Six of the accused, from KwaZulu-Natal, were charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The seventh suspect was not charged due to a lack of evidence against him. UPDATE: On December 20, judgment on bail for the six accused was denied.
DATE: September 8-12 HEADLINE: Tow-truck worker dies on N2
YASTEEL Mohanlal, 20, of Umzinto, was allegedly knocked down in an alleged hit-and-run while attending to a breakdown on the N2 freeway southbound near Park Rynie. Mohanlal worked for a tow truck company.
Malanie Moodley, his maternal aunt, had said: “The truck driver didn’t even stop to check on him or help. It’s impossible that he couldn’t have seen the broken down vehicle on the side of the road. This was just recklessness.”
A case of culpable homicide was opened.
UPDATE: The aunt said: “The police told Yasteel's dad that they are still trying to trace the occupants of the vehicle, who he was assisting. But the police
were on the scene. Did they not take their contact details down or even statements? How does our family get closure if we don't really know what transpired that night.”
Captain Gwala said the matter was still being investigated.
DATE: September 8-12 HEADLINE: Man killed while helping accident victims on M4 Durban highway
SHELDON Govender, 26, of Phoenix, was allegedly knocked down and killed while helping friends at the scene of an accident on the M4 southbound, near the La Lucia off-ramp. He sustained severe injuries and died in hospital three days later.
Steven Govender, his father, said the driver of another vehicle allegedly lost control of his car and drove into Sheldon before crashing into a barrier. He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery.
Two days later, Sheldon, who bought and sold cars, had died.
Police said a case of culpable homicide was being investigated. UPDATE: Govender said: “For the past few months I have been trying to get answers but to no avail. My wife has not been back to work since Sheldon's death. She has become very sick. We don't know why this investigation is taking so long.”
Captain Gwala said the matter was still being investigated.
DATE: October 27-31 HEADLINE: Farmer shot allegedly over cattle dispute
RAJITHKUMAR Ajay Haripersaad, 58, a sugarcane farmer and the owner of Graceland Farm in Muden, outside Greytown, died after he was shot in the neck.
He was allegedly trying to intervene in a dispute between one of his workers and another man who entered his farm. The father of three died at the scene.
Ungakhohlwa Alson Zulu, 76, also of Muden, handed himself over to police that same day.
He appeared in the Greytown Magistrate’s Court and was released on R2 000 bail.
Pranesh Haripersaad, Rajithkumar's son, said after finding out the accused was granted bail, his family felt disappointed with the justice system. UPDATE: Reshma Haripersaad, Rajithkumar's wife, said: “The accused is spending quality time with his family, while we are crying. What kind of law do we have? It hurts so much because my husband was just recovering after having Covid-19. I was taking care of him at home and he was doing well. We were looking forward to spending the festive season with our children. He never got to see his grandson, who was born two weeks before he died. My life is shattered.”
The case was adjourned to January for further investigation.
DATE: November 3-7 HEADLINE: Kenville family robbed, son shot
ADHIR Ramsamujh, 28, of Temple Road in Kenville, was shot in the chest during a house robbery.
His mother, Rekha Ramsamujh, said eight armed men approached her husband, while he was parking their vehicles on the roadside outside their property.
Ramsamujh, who was in the kitchen at the time, said she saw four men approach her husband and push him towards their driveway gate. Ramsamujh said she informed her son Adhir, a lab assistant. She said while in her younger son's bedroom, she heard a gunshot and later found Adhir on the floor.
The bullet ruptured Adhir's left lung before exiting his back. The men stole the family's laptops, her handbag, wallets and other items in the lounge and the dining room.
Police said a case of house robbery and attempted murder was being investigated.
UPDATE: Ramsamujh said Adhir was recovering at home. Captain Gwala said the matter was still under investigation.
DATE: December 7-12 HEADLINE: Tow truck driver remembered for his kindness
BRADLEY Maharaj, 30, of Greenbury, was parked at a sports grounds in Eastbury when unknown gunmen shot him several times on December 3. Maharaj, a driver at Weapons Towlines, succumbed to his injuries.
At his funeral, his uncle, Johnny Maharaj, said Bradley’s passion was always tow-trucking.
Colonel Thembeka Mbele, a police spokesperson, said the motive for the killing was unknown.
UPDATE: Captain Gwala said the matter was still under investigation.
DATE: December 14-19 HEADLINE: Boarder charged after florist, 76, found dead with throat slit
SWIFT police investigation led to an arrest in the killing of Narayansamy Kristna (George) Govender, 76, who was found dead at his home in Watsonia, Tongaat, on December 7. The pensioner and florist's throat had been slit.
Govender is believed to have been attacked by a man who boarded at his home.
Reagan Lionel Moodley, 33, has been charged with murder. Nirosha Moodley, Govender’s niece, said the person responsible for Govender’s death needed to be punished.
UPDATE: Moodley was expected to appear in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on December 10 but the case was adjourned.