Daughter honours legacy of Standerton’s Solly Solomon

A well-known businessman from Standerton passed away at the age of 74 on June 23. The late Mr Solly Solomon died in the Mediclinic Highveld after doctors said it could have been a heart attack.

His daughter Ms Faatimah Solomon, a dietician from Johannesburg, said the past week that he had also contracted the coronavirus.

The burial took place only hours after of his death the same day, according to Muslim tradition. It is recommended that the deceased be laid to rest without delay.

He was buried in the cemetery near the Kosmos Retirement Village in Standerton, where his still-born child, Faizel, was also laid to rest.

Mr Solomon’s parents originally hailed from Cape Town and traded in fruit and vegetables. The Solomons moved to Standerton in the late 70s and Mr Solomon took on the building trade.

His business Solly was later established in the industrial area. Faatimah’s memories of her father centred on his last days.

“I am doing this in honour of my dad. He was perhaps the most non-materialistic person I knew. My dad put so much emphasis on gratitude before he died,” she said.

She also said her mother, Jadija, will move to Evander where her son, Ebraheem and daughter-in-law, Shimaz, stay.

Their religion’s adherence to Iddah will be observed. A widow goes into compulsory lockdown for a period of four months and 10 days after the death of her husband.

Faatimah described him as a good communicator who could converse in English, as well as a little bit of Afrikaans and Zulu.

“He believed in talking to people in their own language. We were taught to respect people irrespective of race and religion.”

Mr Solomon leaves behind his wife, his son and daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and a daughter.