Mother robbed of two sons in a year

LESS than a year ago, Shobana Pillay’s eldest son Kaylen was stabbed to death. Last week, her youngest son Keenan was shot outside their home in Mayville, Durban.

Keenan, 20, sustained multiple bullet wounds and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Pillay said: “On the day of the shooting, Keenan came home from work, had a bath, ate and went to meet his friends outside their home. He was sitting in the driver’s seat of his friend’s taxi listening to music.

His friend was on one of the back seats with a third friend. From what I know, someone fired at them. Some people from the area then rushed them to hospital.

“I got home that day and prepared supper. When I tried to call Keenan to come home, I could not reach him. Moments later there was a knock on my door. It was my neighbour. She was hysterical and told me Keenan had been shot and was taken to hospital.

“He was taken to the same hospital Kaylen was taken to. I felt the trauma of not knowing what was going on come rushing back.”

When Pillay got to the hospital, the doctor told her Keenan had died.

“I could not believe that another child was snatched away from me within a year. This November would be Kaylen’s one-year death anniversary.

“When Kaylen died, my world crumbled. Keenan was the person who was by my side. He was a gem and helped me to keep going.

“Keenan told me not to worry. He comforted me when I was sad, although he was going through his own pain of having lost a brother. Keenan had dreams of buying a car and hoped to do so by the end of the year. I have been robbed of both my children,” she said.

Pillay said that in November last year, Kaylen, who was 21, was stabbed in an altercation in Morningside while out with friends. She said no one had been arrested for his death.

“I feel that in South Africa there is no justice. Criminals do what they want. Kaylen’s killer or killers are still out there. I have been waiting almost a year for an arrest. Both my boys were lovely children. They were respectful and kind.”

Pillay said she could not arrange Keenan’s funeral.

“His body is at the Phoenix Mortuary. They have a backlog and they cannot give us a definite answer as to when it will be released. Knowing that he is lying in the mortuary for so many days in that condition is killing me as a mother.”

In August, images of bodies piled up in the mortuary were leaked to the media. At the time, Ayanda Zulu, provincial secretary of the National Health and Allied Workers Union, said there was a nationwide shortage of kits for DNA and forensic testing.

Ntokozo Maphisa, provincial spokesperson for the Department of Health, said at the time the department was aware of the challenges the mortuary faced.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala, a provincial police spokesperson, said police were investigating charges of murder and attempted murder.

“It is alleged that three males were inside the taxi when two males who were driving a silver vehicle opened fire at them.”

She said police arrested two men, aged 27 and 31. They were expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The National Prosecuting Authority and the Department of Health in KZN did not respond to questions at the time of publication.