Silverglen's enduring love story: 8 years after the murder that shocked Chatsworth

EIGHT years after losing his wife in a brutal home invasion, 77-year-old Loga Pillay of Silverglen, still lights a lamp before her photo every day.

This is the story of enduring love in the face of unspeakable tragedy, as the former teacher maintains an unbreakable bond with his late wife Gona, 66, who had retired as the principal of Southlands Secondary School.

In September 2017 the couple were attacked at their Silverglen home by a property agent, together with three accomplices.

At the time the couple had engaged with the property agent to help sell their home.

Gona was strangled and stabbed to death. Pillay survived after he “play dead” while being stabbed repeatedly.

Basil Lungani Underhill, who was working for Pam Golding Properties at the time, his cousin Braveman Underhill, and Fredboy Msomi were convicted of murder, attempted murder, and robbery. They were sentenced to life imprisonment in the Durban High Court in July 2019.

The charges against the fourth accused, Thembinkosi Buthelezi, were provisionally withdrawn.

Speaking to POST Plus this week, Pillay said he still wanted Buthelezi to be brought to book. 

“If you have done wrong of this nature, you ought to be punished. The very fact that one person slipped away makes me angry. He must be caught and made to pay for his crime.”

Pillay said he and his wife had been together since the late 1970s. “We were joined as one soul for almost 40 years. Our story began in 1978 when we met at teachers’ sports gathering. At the time, I was teaching at Isipingo High and Gona at Umzinto High,” said Pillay.

“We met in October of that year and by January we were registered. She took control of things, and by March we were married,” he fondly recalled. He said after marriage they settled into their first home in Silverglen, where they spent their entire married life and raised three children. 

“We lived in Silver Crescent until that fateful day when Gona was brutally killed."

 A life built on love and service

Pillay described his wife as “a woman of warmth and purpose” as a teacher, mentor, and pillar to her community.

He said at Southlands Secondary, she rose through the ranks to become principal, transforming the school into a centre of excellence. “She loved her profession and uplifted the school to the highest level. She gave her lifetime and passion to her staff and children.”

He said beyond the classroom, Gona was deeply spiritual and compassionate. “Every second weekend she would make a big pot of food, and I would distribute it in Bayview. That was the kind of person she was - a loving, loving soul,” he added.

He said their retirement in 2013 was meant to be the start of a new chapter - a time to travel, rest, and live for each other after decades of service. “We travelled to America and went on a Mediterranean cruise. We really explored,” he reminisced. “Those years together were beautiful.”

 Living with the silence

Eight years on, Pillay said his life was now marked by quiet routines and the soft echo of memories. His two eldest children now live in Australia, while his youngest is in Durban.

“I meet my son once a week, otherwise I am all alone. I cannot explain what this loneliness feels like…”

 He said he filled his days with morning walks, gym sessions, and park runs. 

“I just completed my 150th park run about a month ago. I also attend prayer meetings at the Cato Manor temple. Spiritually, it keeps me going,” he added.

He said his constant source of comfort and companionship was his younger brother, Masla Pillay, with whom he spends time every week. 

“Masla and I meet often. We talk, share meals, and remember the old days.  That time with my brother helps ease the quietness in the house,” he said.

Pillay said every morning and evening, he lit a lamp before a photograph of his wife. “I pray for her every day so that her soul rests in peace. Somehow, even in death she still gives me comfort. I can feel her spiritual soul with me, in me, and around me daily.”

When asked what his wife would say to him if she saw him now, Pillay replied: “She would say, ‘Okay Dad, thanks Dad. I can see that you really miss me.’”

 TRAGIC CRIMES THAT SHOOK SILVERGLEN:

Over the past decade, the quiet suburb of Silverglen in Chatsworth had faced a series of violent home invasions and murders:

• October 2017: An elderly couple, aged 84 and 75, were attacked in their home on Silverglen Drive by two armed men wielding a knife and screwdriver.
• January 2019: Navin Chanderlal (53) was charged for the murder of his wife, Jenny Pillay, who was strangled in the bathroom of their home.
• July 2019: Devapragasen Sagren Pillay (57) was fatally stabbed in his Silverglen Drive home.
• February 2025: Justin Isaiah (43) was shot and killed during a house robbery on Silverglen Drive.

Despite repeated calls for action, the community continues to appeal for stronger policing, neighbourhood vigilance, and justice for all the victims.

POSTPLUS