A South African businessman, Aldane Donnelly, has been arrested for the murder of three employees over unpaid wages in Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal. The victims were discovered lying face down next to one another in a room at a workshop, with their trousers lowered and a pipe inserted into each of their buttocks.
Court Appearance
On Monday, Donnelly, 40, appeared in the Camperdown Magistrate's Court for the alleged murders of Balan Pillay, 45, Kenneth Nichols Halgryn, 46, and Clive Anthony, 69. He subsequently abandoned his bail application.
Discovery of Bodies
Shaheen Suleiman, owner of Magma Security and Investigation, stated that they received a call on Friday afternoon about two bodies found near Umlaas Road. Upon arrival, they were directed to the workshop, where they discovered three bodies lying in a pool of blood. Camperdown SAPS was called to take over the scene. Donnelly was later arrested at a bed and breakfast.
Salary Disputes
Relatives of the victims reported months of salary disputes between Donnelly and the workers. Vernal Augustus, 52, from Woodlands, said her uncle, Clive Anthony, a boilermaker, had repeatedly complained about not being paid. She recounted that Anthony had received a message to go to the workshop early on Wednesday morning to collect his tools and outstanding wages, as he was due to start a new job. That was the last they heard from him. His body was found with multiple stab wounds, including to his face.
Augustus claimed that one of the men who discovered the bodies heard Pillay arguing about not receiving his wages. She described the scene as brutal, with the victims laid face down in a line, their pants down, and each with a pipe pushed into their buttocks.
Family Statements
Kenneth Halgryn's mother, Marita Rossouw, 64, from Oribi, Pietermaritzburg, said her son was the family's sole breadwinner. He worked as a boilermaker and welder and sometimes stayed at the workshop due to lack of transport money. She stated that salary disputes were common and that her son was tied up, shot in the head, and stabbed multiple times. Identifying his body was traumatic for her.
Yergan Pillay, 39, from Lincoln Meade, Pietermaritzburg, said his brother Balan had recently started working in Camperdown. He had gone to collect his wages on Friday and was last seen then. The family was horrified by the circumstances and is determined to see justice served, hoping for a life sentence.
Police Investigation
Police confirmed the arrest and stated that investigators are working to determine the exact motive. KZN SAPS spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police were called to the property on Friday evening, where three bodies were found with multiple stab wounds. A spear-like object, suspected to be the murder weapon, was recovered. He added that an employment-related dispute, particularly over wages, cannot be ruled out.
Balans funeral will be held on Thursday, while Anthony's funeral will take place on Saturday.
