Durban - A few hours before a Tongaat armed response officer was gunned down outside a business premises, he messaged his son to bring him lunch.
But, before Duran Pillay, 33, could read the message, he received a call that his father, Dan, had been shot in the chest and was taken to hospital.
Dan, 59, of Belvedere, who was employed by Jikelela Security Services was stationed outside a business in Maidstone, Tongaat, on Monday when he was allegedly approached by a job-seeker.
Pillay said he was told that when his dad informed the man there were no jobs available, the man demanded his gun.
When he refused, the man pulled out a gun and shot Dan in the chest.
He then grabbed Dan’s gun and fled.
“I was asleep, as I had worked the night-shift, when I received a call from my father’s workplace control room. They told me he had been shot and was taken to hospital. However, when we arrived at the hospital, he had already passed away.
“What was more heartbreaking is that I never spent time with him this past weekend because I was working. I never got a chance to reply to his message and tell him I would bring him lunch,” he said.
Pillay said his father enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, aged 16 and three.
“I had bought my nieces fireworks, but I had to go to work and could not enjoy them with the children. But, my father said he would. He was very family-oriented and enjoyed spending time with us.
“My mom, who is of ill-health, is struggling to come to terms with his death. Also, when my father used to come from work, he would attend to her and would never worry her,” he said.
Aruna Chetty, a manager at Jikelela Security Services, said Dan had been employed at the company for almost a decade.
She described him as a committed and dedicated supervisor.
“He loved his job and was very energetic. It is sad that he passed away in this manner. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and the management,” she said.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said a case of murder and robbery was being investigated.