Pretoria pub brawl victim laid to rest
Celvin Seaborne was killed during an altercation outside a pub in Pretoria last week. The accused in the case is out on bail and the case was postponed to November 15.
The funeral of 21-year-old Celvin Seaborne, who died during an altercation outside a pub in Bergsig last week, was held at the Koinonia Christian centre in Pretoria Gardens on Friday.
Seaborne was fatally assaulted as he intervened to stop a brawl in the early hours on Saturday morning, September 9, according to police.
On Friday, family and friends filled the centre to pay their respects to Seaborne.
The service was also live-streamed on Facebook for those unable to attend.
Before the service, Celvin’s coffin, adorned with flowers, was quietly carried into the church and placed in the centre in front of the pulpit.
Tributes poured in for the young man who was described as a “gentle giant with a good heart”.
Pastor Andries Nel, who has known Celvin since he was a teenager and led the proceedings, spoke fondly of him.
“He had a soft soul,” Nel said.
According to police, the fateful incident occurred at a BP garage.
Seaborne was with his girlfriend when the night out took a grim turn after a fight erupted in the street nearby.
In a heroic but ultimately tragic act, Seaborne rushed towards the altercation to defuse the situation. However, he soon became the target of an assailant’s violence.
His attacker’s blows left Seaborne incapacitated, and despite the paramedics’ prompt arrival, they were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accused, Gerhard van der Merwe, was released on R5 000 bail and the court case postponed to November 15.
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