Durban - oThongathi resident Neren Haridas, 40, was killed for his cellphone near his home on Saturday evening.
Police spokeswoman Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala said Haridas died of a stab wound to the left side of his neck.
Haridas, a motor alarm technician, and a friend were returning home from a shop when the incident took place along a pathway between Mahatma Gandhi Crescent and Saxon Street.
Danny Naicker, a close friend of Haridas, said the pathway was well frequented, but unlit and bushy.
“His friend was a few paces in front of him. He heard a scuffle and when he turned back, saw a man run off and Haridas on the floor. The assailant took his phone. Haridas tried to pick himself up and walk to the main road to get help, but fell after a few steps and died of blood loss,” Naicker said.
Haridas, a father of an 11-year-old girl, was not the first person to be robbed along the pathway, Naicker said, urging others to be vigilant.
They shared a close friendship with one another at Hare Krishna Temple. Naicker said Haridas was a devout Hindu.
“They tried calling his cellphone after the incident. A man answered and said it’s over. It is a tragic way for my friend to die. He was unemployed for a while, and recently received feedback from a job application in Johannesburg. He was looking forward to relocating with his family,” Naicker said.
Haridas’s family was too distraught to speak.
The funeral arrangements will be made once the autopsy is completed.
No arrests have been made.
Daily News