Richards Bay supervisor Shan Govender, who was gunned down by a colleague at the Mondi mill in the northern KwaZulu-Natal town last week, was due to be laid to rest on Saturday.
Instead his remains lie in a mortuary while his partner of 14 years, Jean Naidoo, and his estranged family — his ex-wife and three children — fight over who has the right to host his final farewell and whether he should be given a Hindu or Christian funeral.
KZN spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said police in Richards Bay opened an inquest docket as well as cases of murder and attempted murder following a workplace shooting involving three colleagues at the mill on April 8.
He said the victims were at their workplace when a 54-year-old employee allegedly drew a firearm and shot Govender, his supervisor. A second victim, a colleague, sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh after being struck by a stray bullet before the employee turned the gun on himself.
Netshiunda said the motive for the shooting was not known.
On Thursday, a notice was distributed to friends and family that Govender’s funeral was to be held at AFM Shalom Lighthouse Ministries in Brackenham on Saturday at 9.30am, thereafter proceeding to the Stanger crematorium at 12.45am.
However, a second notice advising “postponed till further notice, details will follow” was then distributed by another party.
A marquee that was erected had to be brought down.
It is understood Govender’s children brought an application in the Durban high court to have his body released to them as his next-of-kin, while Naidoo brought an urgent application in the Pietermaritzburg high court for the same outcome.
Family friend and ward councillor Ray Govender said the scenes that followed the shooting were “deeply distressing”.
“A terrible tragedy had just unfolded and instead of mourning, the family of this gentleman were fighting. Literally screaming at the morgue. It was so disrespectful to Shan.”
Govender lived with Naidoo in Richards Bay near his ex-wife.
The councillor said Govender, who had retired from Mondi in 2020 but remained as a consultant at the mill, was a quiet, humble man. He said he often assisted with a feeding programme he regularly conducted and it was puzzling what prompted the fatal shooting by his subordinate.
“When Shan got divorced it became quite bitter and there were protection orders against him. So it is now bizarre to understand why there is a tug-of-war over his last rites when he had moved on and had a life partner with whom he spent the past 14 years.
“A few of us tried to negotiate and come to an understanding for Shan’s sake because he was a vital part of our community. We tried to get both sides to realise that out of respect for him we should let him rest and then sort out issues at a later stage, but there was no resolution. “
He said they couldn’t find common ground despite suggestions of each taking a turn to conduct individual rituals and prayers at different venues.
“Shan was a Hindu when he was married and had his children, but he converted after his divorce and lived his life as a Christian until his death. No matter what, he should have been allowed to have a dignified send-off, particularly because of his tragic death, but now his body lies in the mortuary until the court decides what happens to him. It’s so sad.”
Govender’s daughter Chantel told Sunday Times it was “inappropriate” to answer questions around the legal challenge over her father’s funeral as it didn’t concern anyone else.
“Respect us as a family. He hasn’t been laid to rest and we should be allowed to deal with this without questions,” she said.
Govender’s partner Jean said she was unavailable to comment.
Mondi confirmed there was an incident involving a firearm at its Richards Bay mill last week.
Jason Smith, CEO of Mondi South Africa, said emergency protocols were immediately activated, and the site was secured. Police were called, and an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
“We can confirm that two employees sadly passed away, and one employee is currently receiving medical care and doing well. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the families, colleagues and loved ones affected.
“The safety and wellbeing of our employees remain our top priority. We are providing support to our employees and have taken the necessary steps to ensure the site remains safe. We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities,” said Smith.
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