Grieving father fights for justice after losing wife and daughter in Westmead crash

AFTER A devastating crash claimed his wife and elder daughter, Sudhir Sudhu struggles with physical injuries and single parenthood while seeking justice for his family.

His heartbreaking story of loss, recovery, and determination reveals both personal pain and systemic challenges in the aftermath of tragedy

Sudhu , 36, is learning to navigate life as a single father to his three-year-old daughter, Zariah, after the crash in October last year.

The Mariannhill family of four was involved in a head-on collision on Richmond Road near Trafford Road in Westmead, Pinetown.

They had been travelling to visit relatives in Wyebank when their vehicle collided with an oncoming bakkie during heavy rains.

The crash claimed the life of five-year-old Cassidia at the scene. Her mother, Colleen Sudhu, 35, succumbed to her injuries two days later in hospital.

Sudhir survived the collision but sustained severe injuries. He fractured both his legs and needed surgery. He had pins inserted from his hips to his knees.

Three months later, he still relies on a walker to move around and can only manage to walk short distances.

“The pain is unbearable. The bones in both my legs broke in two and there is a plate in one of my legs. I can only walk about a hundred metres at a time,” he said.

Miraculously, young Zariah escaped the crash with no serious injuries. She only lost her front tooth.

However, the physical injuries are only part of the hardship Sudhir now faces.

He and his daughter are currently living apart due to his limited mobility.

“I am currently living with my brother and my daughter is with my in-laws. We are separated because I cannot take her to school or care for her by myself. I cannot stay with my in-laws because they do not have a walk-in shower that I could use.”

He said he collected Zariah on Fridays from them and spent the weekend with her despite the strain it placed on his recovery. 

“It is difficult at my in-laws’ house because of my injuries.”

Adding to his pain is the frustration over what he described as a lack of progress in the legal process surrounding the crash.

“The guy who killed my wife and daughter is sitting perfectly fine at home with his family, with no justice being served. We gave our statements and J88 forms. They have all the information, but justice has still not been served.”

According to Sudhir, he was informed that the case docket had been sent to the Pinetown Court, only to later be told that it had been returned to Pinetown SAPS.

“Now they are asking for a form for my daughter, who was not injured in the accident. We gave that statement on the day. She only lost her tooth. It has been three months with nothing. It is heartbreaking. I keep phoning and they have no updates for me.”

Sudhir said there were two sets of video footage of the accident which was submitted to the court. 

“The video shows clearly what happened, and yet there is still nothing being done.”

The emotional toll has been particularly heavy during the festive season. 

“It was especially difficult for us because my wife loved Christmas. She loved being with her daughters and celebrating the day.”

Zariah who is now old enough to ask difficult questions, is struggling to process her loss. 

“My daughter is starting to ask a lot of questions about how her mum and sister died. She also wanted to know who knocked into us on that fateful day. I was very honest with her and did not lie.

“She knows what happened and she told me many times that she had tried waking up Cassidia when we met in the accident.”

He said that adjusting to single parenthood while recovering from his serious injuries had been overwhelming. 

“It is difficult being a single dad now. A mom’s love is different from a dad’s. But we are lucky that our family helps us a lot.”

He expressed gratitude for the support he has received, especially as Zariah recently fell ill. 

“My daughter has the flu currently, so my brother and sister-in-law helped me a lot with her. It is difficult to do many things with my injury, but I still do the most for her. She had to go to school without me because I cannot walk long distances. The thought of walking her into the school where my elder daughter walked is killing me,” he said.

The accident has also brought Sudhir’s livelihood to a halt. He owns a plant hire company but has been unable to work since the accident. 

“I have not been able to walk for the last three months, and I could not drive. My business has been closed since the accident. Thankfully the school has given us a concession on the fees because they know how difficult it has been with my injury.”

Sudhir remains uncertain about his recovery timeline. 

“They adjusted my pins in December and the doctors said they were happy with my recovery. I am waiting for my next check-up in April. Despite my pain, loss and uncertainty, right now, I am just fighting for justice for my wife and daughter while looking after Zariah,” he said.

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