Monday marked 25 years since the Throb Nightclub disaster in Chatsworth that claimed the lives of 13 children.

As the community remembers this tragedy, Lazarus Soobramoney shared the enduring pain of losing his son Rory that fateful day in March 2000.

At the time there were 600 children in the nightclub enjoying their end-of-term party. Besides those who died, 100 others were injured, leaving many families traumatised.

The children lost their lives were Jadeine Mohunlal (11), Sumeshan Govender (12), Preston Premsingh (13), Sumaya Jhetam (13), Leeosha Sowrimuthu (14), Guresha Naidoo (15), Prean Govindsamy (15), Rory Soobramoney (15), Chantal Maduray (16), Vaneshree Pillay (16), Sumaya Kudoos (16), Nolan Pillay (17) and Junaid Gaffoor (18).

At the time, Nelson Mandela, created the Nelson Mandela Youth Centre – in memory of the 13 children who lost their lives - as a place for the youth to meet in Chatsworth.

Rory’s father, Lazarus Soobramoney, a retired principal, said after 25 years, the pain still remained as the day of the tragedy on March 24.

“My wife and family still can’t handle the loss. Our house is full of tears whenever we think about Rory. It’s not easy after all these years. It is still very painful. It’s not 25 years for us. It feels like it happened just yesterday. The way we move forward is by putting our faith in Jesus.”

The father of three and grandfather of two, said everything reminded him of Rory.

“We are a close family, Rory was favoured in our family because as a child he had two surgeries due to his hearing issues. His grandmother, uncles, brothers, mother and even me, always treated him as our special gem so when he passed away, we never got over it.

“We find ourselves talking about him and then crying. My boy’s room is exactly as he left it 25 years ago, his toothbrush has not been moved nor his clothes. My brother still has the clothes Rory wore when he died, at his house.”

He said Rory shared a special bond with him and their family.

“He was an artist and sportsman, and he was well-loved. We had a fantastic relationship. He would eat from my plate and make my breakfast. He attended my school so we spent all our time together, I went everywhere with him. For two years after he died, I didn’t polish my shoes because it hurt. We polished our shoes together.

“My mother’s pet was Rory and she struggled when he died. When she died we buried her next to Rory at the Mobeni Heights cemetary. When I die, I want to be buried with my boy.

“When Rory died, thousands of people attended his funeral. Up until now people will stop me to talk about Rory. For the first 2 to 3 years when I went to his grave, someone would always leave a fresh bouquet of flowers. I don’t know who it was but it brought me solace to know he was loved and missed by everyone."

He said as a pastor, he tried to help other families like his.

“The world is full of hurting people. I try to help others in the remembrance of my son. I want to give people hope despite the pain they feel, my son would have wanted that.

“My son died from the wall collapsing and breaking his neck but a few years ago someone told me Rory was actually helping him take children out of the club. He had thought Rory got out alive after they took the last child out. He died helping others, which is what we taught him. But sometimes I wish we didn’t so he would still be here," said Soobramoney.

On this anniversary, Soobramoney said the family spent the time reminiscing and keeping Rory’s memory alive.

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The pain remains: Chatsworth community marks 25 years since Throb Nightclub disaster