Durban - The family of slain University of KwaZulu-Natal student, Shrivaar Panday, are still appealing to witnesses to come forward.
Panday was killed last week when criminals threw a brick at his VW Golf and stabbed him on the leg at the traffic lights at the intersection of Peter Mokaba (North Ridge) Road and Valley View Avenue, metres away from eThekwini College.
The 22-year-old student was on his way to write an exam at UKZN’s Westville campus.
Family spokesman, Trishen Maharaj – Panday’s brother-in-law – said on Wednesday they were pleading with the public to come forward with information.
Maharaj said the police were in contact with the family daily, but there was little progress because witnesses were not coming forward with sufficient information.
“Without the help of the witnesses we will not be able to get identikits. Witnesses have not been forthcoming at this stage, but we are begging people who could have seen anything to please help by providing information to the police.”
Maharaj said the family were still in a state of shock and would only get closure once justice had been served on the criminals.
Police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, said on Thursday the case was still under investigation.
“We are again appealing for witnesses to come forwar... we are quite convinced that the attack was witnessed because of the location and time of the attack,” he said.
“It is a common trend that people turn a blind eye to crime as they don’t want to become involved. They will only be up in arms and want to get involved if the victim is a friend or relative, but won’t assist if it’s a total stranger that needs help.”
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, told the Daily News today that the police would not rest until Panday’s killers had been found.
She vowed that police would not leave the case unsolved.
Ngobeni, speaking at the KwaMashu train station today, again appealed to witnesses.
She said those who feared being identified by the criminals had a duty to disclose information they had and said police had safety precautions to protect them.
“We can put (witnesses) into a safety programme, it does not help to keep quiet because this will become routine for them to take away the lives of innocent people,” she said.
Daily News