Durban - A Durban family weekend-away celebration in Uvongo, near Margate, turned into tragedy when an unknown armed man barged into the holiday home at 4am on Saturday, opened fire at the holidaymakers, and left one person dead.
Shalima Ramsanker, 43, from Clare Estate, succumbed to a gunshot wound during the holiday home invasion.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said charges of murder and house robbery were being investigated by the Margate SAPS.
“The suspect demanded money and took two handbags containing personal documents as well as bank cards. The suspect then fled the scene,” said Gwala.
Ramsanker’s nephew, Sameer Lockrajh, 25, who was also in the home, said the incident was a nightmare.
“I live in Pretoria and my family live in Durban. Ten adult family members had got together for a weekend away to celebrate my parents’ anniversary, which was on Saturday, and my birthday, which is on Monday. We got there on Friday afternoon and about six of us were on the veranda until the early parts of the morning.
“Shalima was with us and around 4am the alarm went off. She had gone into the lounge to disarm it. We then heard a loud gunshot, which seemed to come from above our heads. The property is a double-storey house and has an open rooftop.
“We rushed into the lounge where one family member was sleeping and we heard a second gunshot which appeared to be much closer to us. Just as the gunshot went off, the rest of us scattered and looked for cover.
“There was a moment of silence and all members of the family heard Shalima say twice, ‘I’ve been shot’,” he said.
Lockrajh said they had rushed to close the back entrance and Ramsanker had tried to close the front, before she was shot.
“The perpetrator then entered through the door Shalima had tried to shut. He then fired rapidly, about three or four shots in quick succession, and was screaming that he was there for the money. He stole a wallet and two handbags and fled.
“Shalima was shot in the abdomen, collapsed to the floor and gently closed her eyes. We tried to control the bleeding. The post-mortem results showed that the bullet had made contact with the centre of her abdomen and lodged in her spine,” said Lockrajh.
He said the family had gone away for weekends together for many years.
“We have grown up going away for weekends and having family gatherings. There was absolutely no way that we could have imagined that we would be walking in with 10 people and leaving with nine. It all happened so quickly that there was no way to prepare for what was to come. It happened almost out of thin air. It has been a nightmare and traumatic for everyone,” he said.
Rita Jagessar, Ramsanker’s aunt, said the family were struggling to come to terms with her death.
“Shalima had everything going for her. She was a very smart and intelligent person and was such a darling. She could light up a room and was such a bubbly person. She was very charitable, holy and respectful. We lost her mum (my sister) just over a year ago,” said Jagessar.
Ramsanker’s funeral will take place on Sunday. She is survived by her husband, Rakesh.
The matter is still under investigation and the suspect is being sought by police.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE