A GRIEVING Wyebank family has appealed for justice after they were robbed of a loving family man at the hands of ruthless criminals.
Derrick Reddy (48) was shot and murdered by heartless thieves in front of his family, at home, in Hilltop Road.
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His wife, Sharon said Derrick dropped her off at their main gate just after 17:00 on September 28 before he dropped their domestic worker at home.
“He was gone for a few minutes. When he returned, he hooted. I went out and, as I was approaching the gate, three men came running from the road. I tried to alert him, he tried to reverse but it was too late,” said Sharon.
The grieving widow said she does not recall what exactly happened after that as she rushed inside the house to press the panic button.
“The security company responded quickly. When I went outside the house, they (the suspects) had fled with the car. I thought they fled with him in the car. Our son saw him first. Derrick was lying on the grass,” she sighed.
According to the family, Derrick sustained a gunshot wound to his chest.
“I do not know if they shot him while inside the car. That moment was so traumatic, I did not even hear the gun going off,” she said.
Reddy’s car was recovered in Dumisani Makhaye Drive within an hour after the incident. After they close-knit family shared their life-altering ordeal, the Reddy family said they do not wish for any other family to go through the pain they are faced with, or for another innocent person to be harmed or murdered.
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“Although he is gone forever, we want these criminals to be locked up,” said a determined Sharon.
The family said Derrick was a fun, loving, helpful and humble person.
Describing her husband, Sharon’s face lit up. “Where do I even start? there is so much to say!” she beamed. “He was a selfless person, who would always put others first. He was humble, always giving, family-orientated, energetic and a man of his word.
He protected his family right to the end.” The Pinetown cluster communications officer, Captain Bongumusa Manqele said no arrests have been made and that a case of murder and hijacking is being investigated by the local SAPS.
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