Durban: Jordache Kittensamy believes his mother and two sisters were taken by God to fulfil a greater purpose.
Around midnight last Monday, Neena Kittensamy, 63, and her daughters, Sharal, 39, and Natasha, 26, died when their home in Forfar Place, Bonela, caved in while they were asleep.
The sandbank behind their property had collapsed. This resulted in a mudslide. It crushed the back wall of their home and the roof to the three bedrooms caved in. Their bodies were later found by search and rescue members.
Sharal was found first and her mother and sister about three hours later.
Kittensamy, of Hillary, said: "There are no words to describe the pain we feel. My mum and sisters were incredible human beings. They were selfless and kind-hearted. They were not of this world. I believe God took them to fulfil his greater purpose."
He said his mother, a housewife, was not outspoken but she was well known for helping others.
"She never let anyone go hungry. She was a rare gem. Her death will leave a void that will be difficult to fill.”
Kittensamy said his sisters were in relationships. Sharal was a lecturer at EduForce in Umhlanga and Natasha was a maths teacher.
"Natasha recently secured a post as a teaching intern at Northlands Girls' High School, which she was excited about. She also taught online."
He said his dad, Logan, who was asleep in the lounge that day, was trying to be strong. Logan has since moved in with his son.
At the funeral this week, three white coffins were placed side by side at the Clare Estate Crematorium. Logan performed the last rites.
Neena's sister-in-law, Roksma Ramindin, who led the service, said the family loved watching cricket.
"On Monday night, they were in the lounge discussing the Indian Premier League. At around 11pm they said goodnight. The girls and Neena went to bed, while Logan remained in the lounge.
“They never knew it was the last time they would see each other alive or hear each other's voices. Who would have known what would have transpired shortly thereafter."
She said Logan heard a loud noise and got up.
"It was a strange swishing sound and suddenly everything collapsed. He did not know what was happening. He screamed for Neena and the kids. He was able to get out but Neena and the girls were somewhere in the debris. It was dark and the visibility was poor."
Three houses were affected by the mudslide but the damage to the Kittensamy home was extensive. The two other families were unaffected.
On Tuesday morning, when the visibility was better, neighbours arrived with spades and wheelbarrows.
"They paid no heed to the fact that the roof could come down further, and that the walls could collapse at any moment. People went in and dug out sand, pulled out chunks of brick, pulled out pieces of all kinds of debris and put it aside..."
She said the Bonela community policing forum and strangers also helped the search and rescue teams.
After the bodies were found, she said other challenges awaited them.
"There was a delay at the morgue for the post-mortem. They told us that for Natasha and Neena's post-mortem, there had been no water. We had to return at least twice. On Sunday morning, the two bodies were finally released. No family, no one undergoing this kind of grief, should be waiting for anybody at this point in time. It should be a top priority."
At the funeral, Aidan Luke Pillay, Natasha's boyfriend, said: "I am so grateful to God to have the opportunity to meet three wonderful people. It is rare to meet one precious, beautiful soul in your lifetime and I was fortunate enough to meet three.
"To my sweet Natasha, my love, what I would not give to have one more day with you. I'm so grateful to God to have had an opportunity to share this journey of life with you for the past seven years. I love you."
Sundeep Mohanlal, who worked with Sharal at EduForce, said: "The world mourns your passing. You had a birthmark on your hand. We used to say God had marked you with a heart. We realised this mark was to set you apart from the rest of the world. God had no reason to take you, your sister and mum, so the only way he could was to tremble the earth over a matter of an hour to take away what we loved."
Sumaya Mahomed, the deputy secretary of the Bonela CPF and residents association, said: “The family were humble, respectful citizens of our community. May their precious souls rest in peace.”
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