Claudine Senekal
Durban - Grief-stricken friends and family paid their last respects to Ladysmith cop Santhosh Ahir who lost his battle to Covid-19.
Ahir, 29, a constable at Dundee SAPS died on Saturday after testing positive a week ago.
A close family friend said they expected him to recover.
"We were all praying for him to recover.“
Ahir was engaged to Shalona Shai Dubree, a constabe at Ladysmith SAPS.
The family friend said the couple had met 9 years ago while at police college together.
"Ahir and Dubree were made for each other and they were a power-couple for Ladysmith as they both believed in fighting against crime,“ the friend added.
“The couple shared a great passion for helping the community of Ladysmith or Dundee and had been involved in community upliftment projects.”
The family-friend told the Ladysmith Herald, that Ahir had told Dubree, that he knows that once he is in the hospital, he wouldn’t return home.
"About three days, before his death, he took a selfie and sent it to Dubree apologising, saying that he is really sorry, that he will not make it home."
On Sunday, Ahir's family and friends had a few moments to bid farewell to him as the the hearse stopped outside the home.
Ahir was the youngest of three children.
Members of the Ladysmith community paid their last respects as they stood along the pavement along Kleinman Street wearing masks and social distancing.
Social media became a wall of remembrance as friends and family shared the news of his death.
A Guard of honour by members of the Ladysmith SAPS, as the body of the young constable Ahir was taken to the Ladysmith Crematorium.
A motorcade was also formed in honour of Ahir, as emergency services such as Okhahlamba Fire and Rescue, Dave's Panel beaters, ER24 Ladysmith, Innovamed Private ambulances and Sharaj EMS with local motorbike club followed the hearse to the Ladysmith Crematorium.
IOL