Property mogul Sunny Gayadin dies
MULTIMILLIONAIRE Pietermaritzburg businessman Sunny Gayadin was found dead on Friday night at a construction site at the upmarket Victoria Country Club Estate where he lived with his family.
A police officer at the scene said Gayadin, 69, had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
Umgungundlovu North Cluster spokesperson Sergeant Mthokozisi Ngobese said no foul play was suspected.
Gayadin’s body was found around 8.30pm near a house he was building.
His death has come as a shock to the community.
Roshan Morar, a close family friend, said yesterday: “Sunny Gayadin stood up for what he believed was right and his family took priority.”
Gayadin’s funeral took place yesterday afternoon at the Gujarati Vedic Society Hall in Royston Road, Mountain Rise. The cremation was at the Mountain Crematorium.
He leaves his wife Romy, son Niresh and daughter Ashina.
Hundreds of mourners packed the hall.
A man who did not want to be named told the gathering that when the banks foreclosed, Gayadin bought his home for R1.26 million and gave it to him, saying he should repay when he got the money.
The property mogul and estate agent will be remembered for his development of the Orient Heights suburb in Pietermaritzburg which houses most of the influential business community.
He will also be remembered for his role as a show promoter who brought many Bollywood artists and singers to South Africa, his controversial spat with movie producer Anant Singh over the Natal Command site in Durban and the court case against former journalist Gary Govindasamy who successfully sued him for calling him a “Mandraji bastard”.
Gayadin and two other businessmen came to the rescue of an elite private school in Pietermaritzburg after it found itself in financial difficulties.
At one stage he openly campaigned for the IFP in Pietermaritzburg.
He was one of those who operated illegal casinos and paid back millions of rand to the prosecuting authorities.
His partnership with the Aryan Benevolent Home in Durban in securing Bollywood singers for fund-raising projects will also go on record.
When he died, Gayadin was building 20 luxury homes at the Victoria Country Club Estate.