Senseless murder rocks Morningside community
The Morningside community is reeling in shock after well known businessman, William Daly was found murdered in the garden of his Maple Road home on Monday.
RESIDENTS the Morningside community are reeling in shock after the senseless murder on Monday morning, 19 August, of a neighbour they described as a “sweet, kind, gentle, gentleman.”
Police believe well-known Durban businessman, William (Bill) Daly, 89 was on his way to deposit some money at the bank when he was overpowered in his Maple Road yard.
“Daly was found strangled at around noon on Monday. Nobody else was present. The money he had was from the church which he apparently collects and deposits on a Monday,” said Captain Thulani Zwane KZN police spokesman.-
Daly lived alone but his domestic worker, Maureen Ngema and her son were living in a building on the property. Unfortunately, Ngema and her son had left the house at about 5am to go to Addington Hospital. On their return, she found Williams lifeless body and screamed for help.
Ben Craukamp had just returned from college at about noon when he heard hysterical screams coming from next door.
“The domestic worker does not speak English so I didn’t know what she was saying. I jumped over the fence to see what was wrong. I found him lying on the ground in the garden. They had torn his -shirt and used it to bind his hands and gag him. They used his own shoe laces to tie his legs together. I took the gag out of his mouth and checked for a pulse but he was not breathing and had no pulse. The police also arrived just then,” he said.
Craukamp said he was stricken to see his friendly neighbour lying on the ground, after seeing him driving his prized vintage car just days before. “Everyone on the street knows him (Daly) for for being the pleasant man with the vintage cars. Who does this to a senior citizen? It is terrible. All he had on him to deposit was about R257! The worst thing is that his panic button was lying on the ground next to him where we found him. Crime is really getting out of hand. I’m also going to move out and that is sad because this place is beautiful and so convenient,” he said.
Craukamp said crime had definitely increased in the past year with more brazen young criminals at the helm. “Last year there was a man who jumped over a high hedge and came into my room while I was sleeping at night. I got up and he ran away, but people around here have had incidents. Day or night, you can’t even park your car on the street,” he said.
Neighbours and friends of Daly posted a tribute with a picture of Daly and a flower on his front gate saying, “RIP Dear Bill, sweet, kind, gentle, gentleman. May the angels be with you and your family at this sad time. Your Anerley Road community will miss you, the chats and your cars so much.”
“A true tragedy as he was an absolute gentleman. He visited one of our shopping centre’s daily and never failed to greet all the staff and car guards. He was always impeccably turned out and took such pride on the days he took the vintage car for a drive. RIP Mr Daly,” said Les Darley Waddilove on a post on Private Investigator Brad Nathanson’s Facebook page.
Police said the suspects fled the scene without getting access to Daly’s home, however they did ransack his pockets and the domestic worker’s room on the property.
Daly’s domestic worker who has worked at the home for nearly 30 years was too upset to speak about the incident.
Police are investigating a case of murder and robbery. At the time of going to press, no arrests had been made.
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