Page 12 - You - South Africa (February 2020)

YOU NEWS

The children

of murdered

businesswoman

Kavitha Nerputh

believe jealous former

friends were intent

on destroying her

BY ZAMA NTEYI

‘BEST MOM ON EARTH’

EARLY three years ago eyebrowsbutthePietermaritzburgbusi- strangledwithacellphonechargercable.
shemadenationalhead- nesswoman was unapologetic. Now her home in the suburb of
lines when she threw a “People have no qualms about spend- Newholme is locked and barricaded, a
birthday party for her ing money on a wedding but often mar- bunch of red roses and a single stick of in-
then four-year-old that riages end in divorce,” she said at the cense the only sign of any recent activity.
rivalled anything the time (YOU, 16 March 2017). “But you’ll Police have told the children and their
Kardashians might lay never divorce your child. This is how grandparents Roshila and Mitchell Ner-
on for
Ntheir kids. I choose to celebrate my daughter.” puth to stay clear of the house while the
There were jugglers, stilt-walkers and Butthere’llbenobigpartiesorganised murder investigation is under way.
life-size cartoon characters, a five-tier by Kavitha (41) anymore. Her little girl, “We’re all breaking,” says Aryana, who
cake decorated with doughnuts, as well who’s now six, and her older siblings, along with her siblings is staying with her
as ice-cream cones and toffee apples, Junior (22) and Aryana (19), are reeling grandparents. “We cannot accept what
balloons galore and treats aplenty. The following the death of the well-known has happened. I cannot accept I’ll never
party was held on the grounds of her business owner. see my mom again and I’ll always hate
daughter’s pre-primary school and all Kavitha’s body was found in her locked myself for failing to protect her. We failed
115 kids were invited, along with parents Audi Q7 in Alexandra Park in Scottsville, to keep her safe.
and teachers. Pietermaritzburg, on the night of 20 Jan- “My grandmother is still waiting for
It cost Kavitha Nerputh R100 000 and uary and police had to break the win- her baby to walk through that door. She’s
theextravaganceraisedafairnumber of dows to get to her. She’d apparently been still waiting for her phone call.”

12 | 6 FEBRUARY 2020 you.co.za