The Veeran family from Trenance Manor, in Phoenix, are demanding answers into the circumstances surrounding their son Kalib Joseph’s death.
Reports from the accident scene indicate that Kalib was run over by a truck on the north-bound lane of the R102 in the vicinity of the Phoenix intersection last week. The family claim that there was foul play involved, and further appeals to the public to help them get answers. In an exclusive interview with The Phoenix Tabloid, the parents, Mervin Veeran, 43, and Sharon Veeran, 44, say that “there is more to the story of our son’s death as the story does not add up”. According to the family, on Tuesday, 4 May, at around 6.30pm, Kalib, who works at a call centre, arrived home from work and after some time, said to his mother that he is leaving the house and “will return just now”.
“Witnesses from the neighbourhood saw Kalib get into a car not far from our house, at the bottom of Romanmanor Road,” claimed his mother, Sharon. The police have refused to comment on this claim by the family. Phoenix SAPS are investigating a case of culpable homicide. The mother added that when Kalib had not returned home after some time, she phoned him on his cellphone. “A gentleman who said he was a pastor answered my son’s phone. I heard the heart-breaking words that no mother wishes to hear – ‘your child was in an accident’.” The parents further claimed that a work colleague who was driving on the R102 saw Kalib that evening by the Palmview/ Ottawa robots. “The witness claimed that he was seen alighting from a car and seemed to be walking in the direction of Gateway/ Cornubia mall. The witness said that Kalib was walking on the yellow line,” alleged the parents. The parents added that they do not believe that their son committed suicide by “walking into a truck”. “To those who are saying that Kalib committed suicide, we don’t believe that this is the case. Let the investigation takes its course,” said the parents.
Passing motorists contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), requesting assistance for the man who was lying on the right lane. RUSA head, Prem Balram, claimed that, “according to the driver of the truck, the pedestrian suddenly ran into traffic allowing him little time to react when the accident occurred”. Phoenix SAPS communications officer, Captain L Naidoo, said, “Constable Mthembu responded to a complaint of a motor vehicle accident on the R102 before the robots and upon arrival, he noticed a body covered in foil. The Reaction Unit South Africa ambulance was on-scene and the ambulance personnel certified the male, identified as Kalib Jeremiah Joseph, deceased.” The parents are questioning who picked Kalib up from Romanmanor Road and dropped him off at the Ottawa/Palmview robots. They are also requesting for any eyewitnesses to the accident to come forward. As they mourn Kalib’s death, the family said they will only find closure once they understand the circumstances surrounding his death. To those who are saying that Kalib committed suicide, we don’t believe that …
