Tributes have been pouring in as news of the passing away of well-known Metro Police officer, Captain Marlon Pillay, who succumbed to Covid-19 on Sunday, began to filter in throughout the community of Chatsworth.
Being on the ground and playing a vital and instrumental role in the fight against drugs in the community, Pillay headed the Multi-Operational Response Task Team under the command of Superintendent Rosh Prem, which is how he became well known. After being disbanded in 2010, the Multi-Operational Response Team’s Narcotics Division, which Pillay headed, was reinstated in 2018 and brought back into the Chatsworth area by Acting Deputy Commissioner of Metro Police, Sbonelo Wiseman Mchunu, and then Deputy Mayor Councillor Fawzia Peer.
Pillay and his team of hand-picked officers took the zero-tolerance approach and coupled it with a no-fear, no-favour stance, effectively curbing the drug issue in Chatsworth, by cleaning out millions of rands worth of drugs from the streets. Durban Metro Police Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Parbhoo Sewpersadh said Pillay’s death has left a void in the policing fraternity as well as in the communities that he served. “Pillay had been with the Metro Police for 21 years and worked in various units in Durban and surrounding areas. He worked tirelessly to fight against the scourge of drugs in the Chatsworth and greater Durban area and will be remembered for his dedication and for going the extra mile, be it in his professional or personal capacity, to assist however best he could in any situation. His death has left us in a state of shock,” said Senior Superintendent Sewpersad.
While realising that the factors causing the spiralling drug pandemic to escalate at alarming levels in close-knit communities was embedded within the various policing areas, as well as within the community itself, Pillay used tactical methods of policing to ensure that he and his team effected successful arrests. Never compromising his morals or ethics to get the job done, Pillay was empathetic in nature and would often be seen off-duty assisting residents with whatever matters arose. His strong personality and upright character proved to be one of his most formidable traits which enabled him to leave his mark in policing and the narcotics division. Shallcross CPF Chairperson, Mahendra Lillkan, Montford CPF representative, Kugan Govender, Pillay’s family friend and local attorney, Noven Naidoo, as well as a host of other people who Pillay had an impact on, joined scores of community members in paying tribute to Pillay on social media.
Chatsworth CPF Chairperson, Jakes Singh, said Capt Pillay’s absence will be felt in the community. “Pillay was instrumental in hundreds of arrests and helped take millions of rands worth of drugs off of our streets of Chatsworth. He was committed to the fight against drugs and his death will leave a void in our community. “We want to place on record our appreciation towards his efforts in always being there to assist the community and his impeccable work ethic, which was the driving force in his successful career as an officer of the law. He will be dearly missed by everyone in our community,” added Singh. Pillay will be laid to rest on Tuesday, 17 August.
