Silverglen father Devraj Govenden doted on his adult son – doing his washing and ironing, cooking special meals and even buying beer for him.
The 73-year-old retired teacher, who enjoyed walking in the suburb, had challenges in his life, including the death of his wife from cancer in the early 1990s and his eldest son being in a psychiatric hospital.
But it’s what allegedly went on inside his Mountain Rise Road home over the past few months that has shocked his family to the core.
Govenden died in the ICU of a Durban hospital on Sunday, more than a month after being repeatedly hit with a ‘knuckle-duster’ at home – allegedly by his youngest son.
“I could not believe how badly injured he was. His face was swollen and he could not walk. He was paralysed because his spine was broken in two places,” his devastated brother, Ganesh Gounden, told POST.
“He also sustained internal injuries and visible injuries to his face.”
Govenden’s 35-year-old son Andrasan, a graphic designer, was arrested after the August 2 attack and charged with attempted murder.
He was granted R2 000 bail and was to have appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court again on Wednesday. This time the charge would be murder, police confirmed.
Gounden said Andrasan had claimed he had kept a knuckle-duster for protection as the area he worked in was dangerous.
He was arrested while at work after Gounden said his brother told him in hospital, several days later, that he needed to call the police.
He said Govenden had taken out a protection order against his son but had withdrawn it just days before the attack.
“Devraj did everything for Andrasan. He did his washing, ironed his clothing and even cooked special foods for him, and when it was not to his satisfaction, he would fling it,” he said.
“My brother loved his son. I suppose that is why he remained silent for so long.”
Gounden said he had only found out about the attack four days later.
“A neighbour found my contact details in Devraj’s address book and called me.
“When I heard about the incident, I was shocked and immediately headed for the hospital.”
Govenden’s nephew, Ronnie Govender, told POST: “My uncle loved his son and treated him like a baby… My uncle used to visit every month for the weekend but he never once told us what was happening. If we knew, we would have (done something to help)”.
He described Govenden as an “upright man, who was well spoken, cultured and an intellectual”.
Govender said robbers had broken into his uncle’s now vacant home and trashed the place.
Copper pipes and taps were also stolen.
The chairman of the Silverglen Self-Help Committee, Shaun Hammond, said Govenden’s death must not be in vain.
“The murder of this father (allegedly) by his son must shock us into action to make sure this never happens again. Civics, community policing forums and ratepayers’ organisations must also move away from running talk shops.
“The days of going to meetings to grumble and complain are over.
“NGOs must also get involved and retard the progress of these heinous crimes,” he said.
Hammond said it was vital to have a help desk and a complaints line for urgent matters of abuse of people, especially the elderly, which must be followed up on.
The outraged community, meantime, was planning to protest outside court.