The Govender brothers tucked into a Nando’s meal after allegedly murdering Shailen Singh
THE Govender brothers, accused of killing Shailen Singh, 29, on December 29 had a Nando's meal after the murder.
Ferrel Govender, 40, and his brother Darren, 35, have been charged with murder and are awaiting a decision on their bail application.
They have been remanded at Westville Prison following their arrest on January 1, 2025.
The matter will return to the Durban Magistrate's Court on Monday.
The brothers have denied killing Singh and said they intended to attend their trial to clear their names.
However, the State, in an explosive 27-page affidavit by lead investigator Kumarasan Bob Pillay, stated that the motive for the murder was an affair.
The State also has evidence that there were calls made from Ferrel to Singh minutes before he was shot.
Pillay said that CCTV footage places two vehicles at the scene - a Black BMW X5 driven by Ferrel and a black Ford Ranger, driven by Darren.
The brothers are accused of leaving the Meridian Drive parking in uMhlanga on December 29, 2024.
According to the domestic helper, both brothers arrived at Ferrel's home in Umhlanga at around 12.30pm and ate a Nando's meal for lunch and remained at the residence until 7pm that evening.
The helper also informed police on December 31, 2024, Ferrel packed four pairs of jeans, six t-shirts, underwear, and toiletries and left the premises in his G-Wagon.
The firearm
The State said that the Magistrate, during the first appearance of the Govender brothers on January 3, 2025, ordered that accused one (Ferrel) hand over his firearm to the investigation team.
This had to be done within 12 hours of their court appearance.
The court heard that Ferrel supplied the investigating team with an address in Sandton, Gauteng.
On January 4, Pillay said the team arrived at the premises at around 5pm.
The safe where Ferrel said the firearm would be kept was empty.
"To date he has not complied with the court order to hand over the said firearm," Pillay told the court.
Police found five firearms at Darren's home.
The brothers own and operate well-known security firm Pro Secure.
Pro Secure sent out a statement to reassure its clients that the media had apparently misrepresented claims that the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) has suspended its operations.
Last week, PSiRA noted allegations against the Govenders and the subsequent bids for bail in the murder matter. .
Earlier this week, Pro Secure issued a statement in light of widespread speculation regarding the volatile status of their security services and that PSiRA had supposedly suspended them.
“We would like to reassure our clients, partners, and the public that these claims are false and have been misrepresented by the media, social media platforms, and other service providers,” Pro Secure said.
Pro Secure clarified that “this investigation has no bearing on our PSiRA registration; Pro Secure is fully compliant with all regulatory requirements; and our PSiRA registration is in order, and we have not had our operations suspended either.
“We will continue uninterrupted to provide you with the high-quality service and security that you can expect from us. We can also confirm that we are working in full cooperation with PSiRA in this matter, for transparency and resolution of any concerns.”
PSiRA also noted a shooting in Nyanga, Western Cape, allegedly involving individuals linked to private security companies. It also received reports of private security companies and individuals allegedly engaging in extortion activities.
PSiRA launched investigations into these incidents and is conducting compliance audits on all implicated security service providers.
“Any security companies or individuals found to have violated the PSiRA Act or contributed to these criminal acts will face strict regulatory measures, including suspension or de-registration upon conclusion of the investigations.”
PSiRA also condemned all acts of violence and criminality involving private security providers or their employees. It said these actions not only jeopardise community safety but also undermine public trust in the industry.
“PSiRA will act decisively within its mandate to support investigations and ensure accountability.”
DAILY NEWS