A simple plea to turn down loud music in the early hours of Sunday morning, turned deadly when a reveller allegedly shot dead unarmed security officer, Sherwyne Thompson, in full view of his son.
Thompson, 50, a manager at City South Security, was shot five times in the parking lot of his Lotus Park, Isipingo, flat.
Avishay Singh, 24, of Isipingo appeared in the Umlazi Magistrate's Court yesterday (Tuesday) on a charge of murder.
The matter was adjourned for a bail application next week.
His wife of 18-years, Roslyn, claimed a group of revellers were causing a disturbance in the parking lot around 4.15am.
"It was a group of young men who do not even live in our building. But they are from the area. Sherwyne only came home from work just after midnight. At 4.15am, our sleep was disturbed because the revellers were playing loud music.
“He went outside and appealed to them to please keep the noise down. The boys knew him well. They are friends with our sons and are known in the area. They even greeted Sherwyne. But then one of the boys said, 'I have bullets for you',” said Roslyn.
“I was standing at our front door when I heard that. I then walked to the parking lot, in the hopes of defusing the situation. When Sherwyne turned around to leave, one of the youngsters pulled out a firearm and fired seven rounds. I heard the gunshots but by the time I reached the parking lot, Sherwyne was already lying on the ground. It was too late…” said Rosyln.
She said her son, Joshua, 25, and his cousin saw her husband being gunned down.
“We watched him struggle and gasp for air until he passed on about five minutes later. My family is traumatised. My son watched his father die. My sons keep breaking down, asking why their amazing dad had to die,” she said.
“My husband was an amazing, caring and loving man who was a great father. He was a father figure to many and someone everybody looked up to.
“He helped me to raise our boys so well and with so much love. He was well respected in the area. Everyone knew him as a person who would help anyone he could. Everyone is saddened by his passing, especially our 4-year-old grandson, Malachi, who was my husband's life. Malachi could never go to bed without his grandfather. Daily he would wait for him to come home from work. The same went for our two sons, Joshua and Zachariah,” said Roslyn.
She said they would continue to fight for justice for her husband.
“Bail must not be granted. If he is granted bail, how will we grieve for our king? How will we bury him knowing that his killer received bail,” said Thompson.
Sherwyne’s funeral will take place on April 9 in Isipingo.
KZN SAPS provincial spokesperson, Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, said: “Police in Isipingo are investigating a case of murder following an incident in which a man was allegedly shot and killed by a suspect known to him at Lotus Park.”