Durban - Durban socialite Rajiv Narandas spent another day in hospital on Thursday undergoing an operation related to a stomach illness.
A source in the National Prosecuting Authority, who is not allowed to speak to the media, said Narandas had until the end of on Thursday to report to the prison authorities to begin serving his sentence for murder. Failing that, processes to obtain a warrant for his arrest would begin.
Narandas had to hand himself over to Westville Prison after his bid to appeal against his conviction and 15-year sentence was dismissed by the Constitutional Court. Narandas was convicted in 2014 in connection with the 2008 murder of Veenand Singh outside a Sandton nightclub.
The Mercury attempted to visit Narandas at Westville Hospital on Thursday but he refused to see a reporter or take questions.
A reporter was told that Narandas had requested that only his girlfriend would be allowed to visit him.
Staff said that he would likely still be hospitalised today.
Narandas’s mother Rosanne told The Mercury on Thursday that she, her husband and her sister had gone to Westville Prison on Wednesday to inform authorities that Narandas would not be able to hand himself over because he had been ill.
“He underwent a procedure today (Thursday); in fact, he’s still in theatre. The doctor said he would call me when he was out,” said Rosanne late on Thursday afternoon.
She was unable to say what procedure Narandas had undergone, but said he had been struggling with his “hernias and ulcers”.
She had also been in touch with the investigating officer - who had wished Narandas a speedy recovery - and said the officer would liaise with the prison regarding the handover.
“As far as I know, all is in order. We don’t know anything about a warrant of arrest or anything like that.”
Narandas would hand himself over to authorities as soon as his doctor gave him the go-ahead, she said.
The Mercury