Durban - Hundreds of people, including friends and family, will pay tribute to slain Westville father of two Gary Mackay on Sunday in London.
Mackay’s funeral will take place at the Grace church in Umhlanga on Monday at 2pm.
The invite reads: “Celebrating our Gary; In true Gary style there will be a braai afterwards”
Following the news of his murder, hundreds of people rallied to show support to Mackay’s wife Symone and their two daughters, Skyla, 4, and Tayla, 19 months.
Mackay was shot in the stomach last Saturday when three men broke into his Westville North home and stole his wife’s belongings.
The London memorial will be held at the Crooked Billet, a pub on Wimbledon Common.
His friend Tyrone Nattrass said Gary lived in the UK for a few years where he made many friends, and they wanted to pay their final respects.
“I am still in shock about what happened to Gary especially after spending so much time with him and his family during our visit in April. This memorial will be a celebration of his life and the memories we shared.” he said.
The memorial will start with a meet and greet, followed by a eulogy, a prayer and speeches.
Those back home could view pictures of the memorial via Drop Box. There is also a Go Fund Me account, an online initiative started to raise funds for the family. The current figure sits at £8 220 (R157 248).
Meanwhile, another Westville family says Mackay’s death brought back old wounds.
When Debbie Donaldson heard about Mackay’s death, the memories of her husband Gordon being shot in front of her in their home came flooding back.
The murder happened on January 26 while the couple was asleep. The suspects threw a brick through a window and a struggle ensued between Donaldson and the suspects. He was also shot in the stomach.
Debbie believes that the men involved in her husband’s murder were possibly the same men who shot Mackay.
But getting closure seems far away for the 55-year-old mother of two. She claims that in February a man confessed to killing her husband, but the court closed the case due to “lack of evidence”.
“I hope that the justice system catches Gary’s killers and doesn't let them go like they did my husband’s. Every day I pray that they are caught and brought to book because it’s hard to find closure,” she said.
In provincial crime statistics revealed last week, murders in Westville increased from two cases (April 2014-March 2015) to nine (April 2015-March 2016).
Sunday Tribune