Accident victim was a kind-hearted family man
'He became part of the family, we've known him and his wife Anita for around 15 years'
SANJEEV Tilakram (46), the driver killed in a fatal four-vehicle pile-up in Edleen on Thursday morning last week, has been described as a family man and very kind-hearted.
An ER24 ambulance was also involved in the accident which occurred on Besembos Street, close to Builders Warehouse.
Tilakram, who would’ve turned 47 in two weeks time, was driving alone in the vehicle when he died. He was declared dead on the scene.
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• ER24 ambulance involved in fatal accident in Edleen
According to Tilakram’s employers, he was a staunch Hindu man and very dedicated to his work. “Whenever you needed anything, he would drop whatever he was doing to assist. He cannot easily be replaced at Stedfast Clothing,” said Shireen Chislett, who co-owns the company where Tilakram worked with her husband, Greg.
“We find it very difficult. He became part of the family, we’ve known him and his wife Anita for around 15 years,” she added.
Tilakram had a son, Sudhir, who is around 10 years of age.
Chislett said on the morning of the accident, Tilakram stopped at the office where he had a cup of coffee. He was very cheerful and wished his colleagues a happy spring day before heading to Pretoria where he would have worked for the day.
Tilakram was an area manager for the clothing company and his job entailed servicing existing clients.
“We have so many questions, we don’t know what he was doing on that route. Within 15 to 20 minutes of leaving the office he was involved in the accident,” she added.
Tilakram shared a birthday with Greg Chislett, his employer, and would have celebrated his 47th birthday on September 16.
A funeral service was held at his residence in Klopper Park on Friday and his body was flown to Durban the following day where he was buried.
