Johannesburg - “I am 82 years old and Brian is dead. There’s nothing more I can do,” said Eduan Naudé as he entered Gramadoelas restaurant in Newtown for what would be one of the last times.
Naudé is now the sole owner of the iconic restaurant, after his business partner and lover of 45 years, Brian Shalkoff, was taken off life support on Monday night.
The 65-year-old was attacked by an intruder in his home, his injuries leaving him catatonic. Naudé and Shalkoff had returned to their edge-of-Hillbrow flat last month when they were followed inside by four armed men.
One of the men forced Naudé to the ground, holding him at gunpoint as the others kicked and beat Shalkoff until he was no longer moving.
On Monday night, Naudé and Shalkoff’s family were told there was no longer any hope that he would recover.
He died soon after the machines were turned off.
On Wednesday, there was a solemn silence inside the Market Theatre, which houses the restaurant, which is as old as the couple’s relationship.
Established in 1967, the restaurant serves traditional African cuisine – from local game to Cape Malay curries – and is frequented by local and international celebrities.
The peeling, off-white paint on the exterior won’t be resurfaced because the restaurant will now close in a few weeks.
Naudé told The Star that the lease would expire at the end of this month, and without his partner, the legacy would end there and then.
The restaurant had not been sold, he said, and he had no desire to keep it running after decades of work building it up with Shalkoff.
Investigators have yet to make any arrests after the attack, but Naudé told The Star earlier this week that his partner had received verbal and SMS threats from a former contractor who worked on the building that previously housed their restaurant.
Investigating officer Captain Palani Appalraju said that while police were pursuing the threats as a possible lead, they had other avenues to probe.
“We have no breakthroughs yet,” said Appalraju, adding that police were still waiting for Shalkoff’s autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Dozens of celebrities have dined at Gramadoelas over the years, from Elton John to former US president Bill Clinton.
On its website is an image of Shalkoff welcoming Clinton into the restaurant, while a collage of photos shows Charlize Theron and Queen Elizabeth smiling during their visits. But now the four-and-a-half star restaurant will soon feed its last customer.
The Star