A heartbroken Phoenix mother and her two children are crying out in desperation to the local community to come forward and offer information about her son Mason Govender’s death, which they believe was a murder, in September 2019.
The inquest case will be heard at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 30 June. Mason’s body was found near the Phoenix railway line on 29 September 2019 where his foot was amputated after the train ran over his limb (Phoenix Tabloid, 1 October 2019). Speaking to The Phoenix Tabloid, a distraught Samantha Govender said she has been battling to find answers and closure after her son’s questionable death and her family is in limbo. “We are suffering the most unbearable pain for close to two years. We have no concrete answers. I have hit a brick wall with police. They have not communicated any new information. Police did not help me as I expected. I offered a R5 000 reward and received some information. However, I need anyone who has information to come forward and provide a statement to the police that will help to change the case from an inquest to murder.
“I believe my son was murdered. As a mother, I have pushed for information on his death. I received the post-mortem results and found that Mason suffered severe blunt force trauma to his head. His body sustained injuries and his foot was severed by the train. I cannot leave his death as an inquest because the information from the post-mortem is pointing towards a brutal assault in my opinion which ultimately, killed Mason,” an aggrieved Samantha said. “I believe my son was assaulted and he was then taken to the railway line. I believe the assault was the primary reason for his death. There are too many unanswered questions. Yet police are not helping me to find the answers. My children and I are in anguish. We need the truth about Mason’s death to come to light. I am tormented by Mason’s death. I believe that there are persons out there that know the truth and are linked to his death. They need to do the right thing and come forward. Speak the truth and help my family get closure,” a tearful Samantha said.
Mortician and director at Cloverleaf Funerals, Leigh Reddy, said she was contacted by Govender to take pictures of his injuries as she was convinced that her son’s death was not an alleged suicide. “I felt her pain and acquiesced with her request. Mason sustained severe head injuries, bruising to his body and his wrist was broken off and hanging on by the skin that’s besides his severed foot. In my personal opinion, that hardly seems to be congruent with the police report about an accident or apparent suicide. It was terrible that a grieving mother had to do her own investigations about her son’s death.” In the initial death investigation, Phoenix SAPS communications officer, Captain Louise Naidoo, said an inquest was investigated. She said the train operator sighted the body of a man lying next to the railway line with both feet on the tracks but could not stop the train in time, hence, the train ran over the male’s feet. “I am hosting a placard demonstration next week Wednesday morning outside the Verulam Magistrate’s Court at about 8.30am. I invite the community to join me and support my cry for justice. Today it is me and my family crying over unanswered questions about our Mason’s death. Tomorrow, it could be you and your family. We need to know what happened to Mason. Help us to find out how my child really died. If you have information or know of anyone who can help me, please come forward. As a family, we are in the dark and we need closure,” a shattered Samantha added.
According to Captain Naidoo, at the time when the train was stopped, all relevant authorities and emergency personnel were summoned to the scene. Captain Naidoo alleged that according to the police report, Mason was alive after the train ran over his feet but succumbed to his injuries thereafter. Govender can be contacted on 064-116-0516.
