Father seeks justice for son killed in pub altercation

A FATHER wants justice for his son, who was “robbed of his dreams” after he was killed following an altercation at a pub. 

Eric Nobin said his son Noa, 19, was attacked when he tried to assist two women who were being harassed at a pub in Isipingo on July 12. 

Noa was stabbed seven times and died in hospital five days later. 

One suspect has been arrested.

Nobin said on the day of the incident, he and his son had been relaxing at the local pub.

"We decided to go to the pub to have a few drinks and listen to music. We spent a lot of time together as we shared a close relationship. 

“Later that evening, while returning from the toilet, he noticed a guy troubling two women and they appeared to be uncomfortable. He confronted the guy and that was when he started hitting Noa. 

"However, Noa did fight back. The bouncers and security intervened and the fight stopped. The guy attacked him again later that evening, and I intervened this time. However, we resolved the issue and even apologised." 

Nobin said Noa was allegedly attacked shortly after they left the bar that evening. 

“We both walked out when I realised that I had left my cellphone inside and returned to get it. It took me a few seconds. When I went outside and walked around the corner, I saw the same guy Noa had the altercation with, and another guy who was also in the pub, standing over him. Noa was on the ground and they were attacking him. There were also two women trying to pull them away. 

“When I ran towards them, they fled in different directions. Noa was lying in a pool of blood. When I lifted his head, I saw that he was bleeding from his neck. I wrapped my jacket around him. At that time, I could not find our cellphones. I ran to a relative's home, which was a few metres away, and told them that Noa had been attacked. We took him to a nearby public hospital." 

Nobin said a few days later his son took a turn for the worse and was put on a ventilator.

"The night before he passed on, he told his mother and I that he was not feeling well and that he loved us. He passed on the following morning," said Nobin.

"My son was robbed of his dreams. At 19, Noa already envisioned his future. He started working abroad last year, and returned home in March. He recently got a job as a waiter at a hotel in Qatar, and was supposed to start work in August. 

“He wanted to save money to then return to South Africa to open a business. His dream was to be an entrepreneur. My son was robbed of his life by people who have blatant disregard for life, and they must be punished,” he said.

Colonel Robert Netshiunda, a provincial police spokesperson, said: "Police in Isipingo arrested a 31-year-old suspect for murder of a 19-year-old man."

He said the suspect appeared in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court on July 24. 

THE POST