A Durban cop that was killed on the side of the road while changing a tyre had childhood dreams of becoming a police officer.
Constable Jairus Joshua Govender’s dream was realised when he graduated in December and began serving the country.
However, not even a year later, his life was cut short by gun-toting robbers who shot him dead on the N2 in the vicinity of the Scottburgh Mall on August 31.
He was just 23-years-old.
Speaking to IOL, his distraught mother Caz Meth, said their family was unable to reconcile the tragedy.
Meth, the CEO of The Good Samaritan Foundation, said Govender, who was stationed in Port Shepstone, had been living in Durban for 10 days because he had been attending a course.
“He had come home that evening to fetch his car, because him and his girlfriend were sharing a car and it was easier to have two cars. On the way back to Durban, his girlfriend’s car tyre burst and they stopped to change it,” she said.
“During this time two guys approached them. Jairus was still in a crouched position when they were attacked.”
Meth said the bullet went through his left shoulder and entered his heart.
“He died instantly.”
Police said two cellphones were taken.
She described her son as a person with a signature smile.
“He smiled throughout the day. He touched so many lives. He was truly a people’s person.”
Meth said the funeral was expected to take place on Saturday.
He leaves behind five siblings.
She added that police officials had visited their family and promised to hunt down the killers.
The provincial Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as the Hawks) said a case of murder is being investigated by the Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime Investigation.
IOL News