Marlan Padayachee
Several Durban families faced a sombre Black Christmas over the tragic losses and deaths of prominent individuals who had made their mark across the community.
Durban’s first woman soccer manager, Sundrammal (Sundrie) Moodley, of the Chatsworth-based glamour club, Bluff Rangers, lost her long battle for life and passed away on 20 December. In her 80s, she was cared for by her son, Alvin Moodley, at his home in Hillcrest.
Her funeral was expected to be held in her hometown at the Arena Park Regional Hall, Chatsworth, on Friday, December 27, and she was expected to be cremated at the Clare Estate Hindu Crematorium on the same afternoon.
She and her late husband, Mannie Moodley, a horseracing bookmaker, had powerfully contributed to the promotion of competitive soccer and netball under the aegis of the non-racial sports movement for almost 60 years.
On WhatsApp and Facebook, the Indian community woke up to the news of the deaths of other prominent personalities.
It is with great sadness that the community continues to mourn the passing of Mala Lutchmanan, aged 64 (14.11.1960–18.12.2024) – an iconic, colourfully sari-clad figure in South Africa's Indian and multicultural community.
She was a doyenne of the Tamil language on Radio Lotus, an esteemed teacher-educator, and a prolific author who chronicled the lives of renowned personalities. Her shock passing came closely on the heels of the tragic loss of another beloved educator and socio-cultural stalwart, Venilla Pinky Padayachee, aged 65 (07.07.1959–20.11.2024). Mala held Pinky in high regard and often dedicated special songs to her on her birthday and Mother’s Day.
Both personalities were tireless ambassadors of education, family, community, and cultural life. Their legacies leave an indelible mark on the lives they touched, and they have left us far too soon.
A day earlier, the city’s closely-knit doctors' guild received the news of the death of 85-year-old Chatsworth-based medical practitioner, Dr Duray Nathamaniar (Chil) Charles (01.09.1939–18.12.2024).
His close friend, Dr. Prakash Naidoo, and his social-worker wife, Rosh Naidoo, paid tribute to their longstanding friend and colleague on Facebook. He was cremated at the Clare Estate Hindu Crematorium in Reservoir Hills, Durban, on Sunday, December 22, a day before the cultural, religious, and media fraternity bade farewell to Lutchmanan. A large crowd of 600 mourners attended Mala’s funeral at the same crematorium on November 24.
A veteran church leader, Reverend Victor Lazarus of Merebank, a contemporary of Bishop Rubin Phillip and the first priest at St Michael’s Church, passed away on December 18. Local Christians attended his funeral at the Evangelical Church, with cremation at the Stellawood Crematorium on Monday, December 23.
This marked a traditional journey’s end for several members of the Kotiah-Polliah sports, music, and education families from Merebank and Chatsworth.
Chatsworth’s cricket-loving great-grandmother, Mariamma Lutchmee Pentiah (04.05.1932–06.10.2024) of Woodhurst, Chatsworth, passed away at the age of 92. As a senior member of an extraordinarily extended family with a long history and ties to sports – particularly cricket and community-spiritedness – the grand old lady of cricket and culture was given a fitting farewell.
The Asherville Sports Memoirs WhatsApp chat group paid homage to resident Shahida Venkatsami, who passed away aged 58 (17.09.1966–15.12.2024).
MARLAN PADAYACHEE | Durban
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