Durban - A Reservoir Hills pensioner who witnessed her daughter being beaten during a home robbery believes a silent prayer to her late husband asking for protection saved their lives.
Four men walked into the house through an unlocked gate shortly after school teacher Sherine Datadin arrived home from a visit to the doctor.
The drama unfolded at their Gila Close home at midday on Thursday.
Her mother, Kalawathi Datadin, was in the kitchen. Sherine, a teacher at Verulam Secondary School, had gone into her room to freshen up when she heard her mother scream.
Sherine initially thought her mother was chasing monkeys from the kitchen, but then saw men at her bedroom door with their hand over her mother’s mouth. The men demanded money and jewellery from Kalawathi. They warned her not to open her mouth or they would shoot her.
“They screamed at me. Gogo (granny) give us money and gold. They started hitting my daughter. They wanted to kill her,” a sobbing Kalawathi said.
The men pushed Sherine onto the floor and hit her repeatedly with the gun. They kicked and stood on her while the other robbers ransacked the house.
“Before I could fall to the ground I tried grabbing my mom so I knew she was safe next to me. I put my arm around her and said let’s co-operate. They pulled her away from me and placed a gun to my head.” Sherine said.
“I thought to myself before they kill Sherine let me give them what they want. I told them to follow me to my room. I did it to save her. I handed my jewellery over to them and some money. They demanded more and ransacked my room,” Kalawathi said.
“I could see them open the drawers and drop things. I could not move. My jewellery basket on my table was also taken. It’s my home. I can leave my stuff where I want to. Even if I locked it somewhere they would have hit me until I opened it up,” Kalawathi said.
“For a moment I was alone in the room. My phone was on the floor. I thought of phoning the security company but if my phone rang the men would have beaten me up,” she said.
Kalawathi managed to press the panic button but the siren didn’t deter them. They continued ransacking the home before leaving with Sherine’s VW Polo that was parked in the driveway.
“The alarm went off. I thought they will shoot us. I heard mom screaming. I got off the floor and ran out the room. I thought my mother was shot but she was outside screaming for help,” Sherine said.
The car was found at a Mount Edgecombe shopping centre parking lot by the vehicle tracking unit 10 minutes after the robbery was reported. Her personalised number plates Datadin ZN had already been replaced with GP registration plates. The stolen items were not recovered.
Kalawathi believed her husband Kay, who died 11 years ago, intervened divinely. Repeating the prayer she recited she said: “O Kay save us. Our lives are in danger. O Kay save us, your daughter’s life is in danger.”
Coincidentally, Sherine had tested the security alarms and panic buttons in their home the day before with the security company.
Sydenham police have opened a case of house robbery.
Daily News
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