Latest news with #Dwarika
IOL News
24-05-2025
- IOL News
How the family of slain MUT lecturer Chanlall Dwarika seeks closure after justice is served
Slain engineering lecturer Chanlall Dwarika. Image: Supplied The family of slain Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) lecturer said they would carry the grief of his brutal murder for the rest of their lives. This is after the Durban High Court sentenced his killers to life imprisonment. Engineering lecturer, Chanlall Dwarika, 61, was kidnapped on May 28, 2023, and his body was found in the bushes of Durban's infamous township, Inanda, on June 3, 2023. On the day he was kidnapped, he had come to his investment property in Sea Cow Lake to conduct maintenance as the property was being renovated. His killers, Thobani Mhlongo and Kwanele Makhaye, with whom he provided food, lived on this property. The agreement was that they would look after the material for renovations, as it kept being stolen. The killers' co-accused, Siyabonga Freeman Mahaye, also lived on the property. On the day of the kidnapping, CCTV footage from the area showed Dwarika speaking to three men, who then forced him into the rear of his Honda CR-V. The trio forced him to hand over his bank cards and ATM PINs. Several withdrawals were made. At some point, Mahaye left his co-accused and took the bank cards. Mhlongo and Makhaye kept Dwarika at knife point, driving him to the Inanda bushes where they killed him. They disposed of his Honda by setting it alight before fleeing the scene. When he failed to return home, his family reported him missing to the police. His pictures were circulated on social media, and MUT held a media briefing calling for his safe return. The post-mortem results revealed that his throat had been slit and partially decapitated. Judge Khosi Hadebe described the trio as low lives and sentenced Makhaye and Mhlongo to life imprisonment each, 15 years each for robbery with aggravating circumstances, and five years each for the kidnapping. Mahaye was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for kidnapping and 15 years' imprisonment for the robbery. Dwarika's daughter Ayuushi Dwarika-Rajbansi said they were happy with the life imprisonment imposed by the court. 'The sentences were fair and we are happy that the perpetrators got life sentences,' she added. She said she did not know if the family would ever find closure because of how her father was killed, adding that justice was served. 'The perpetrators were caught and reprimanded for what they had done. Their actions did not go unpunished. There is closure in that aspect. However, the way my dad passed, I don't think we will ever get closure. It will be a pain that we will carry for life.' She said they were happy with Sihle Mkhize's confession because without him, the police were not going to be able to crack her father's case. Mkhize was acquitted on Wednesday when the court handed down its judgment. He was with the killers when they killed Dwarika, and he told the court that he went to tell his supervisor at work about what his friends forced him to witness. When Mkhize told the court what happened, he said Dwarika begged for his life, and his co-accused killed him like a goat. At one point, Judge Hadebe asked him if he needed to take a break as he would get emotional while leading his evidence. [email protected]
The South African
23-05-2025
- The South African
Suspects receive life sentences for MUT lecturer's murder
The Durban High Court has given life sentences to suspects who killed and kidnapped Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) lecturer, Chanlall Dwarika. Dwarika was kidnapped and murdered in May 2023. The suspects, who lived at his property in Sea Cow Lake, kidnapped the deceased with the intention of stealing money from his account. According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), during the kidnapping, the suspects instructed the deceased to contact his wife and tell her to have his bank cards ready. 'The Electrical Engineering lecturer was handed down his phone by the suspects and instructed him to call his wife at their home in Ethekwini (location withheld), KZN, to have his bank cards sent to the vehicle when they arrived at the gate,' said RUSA. Dwarika attempted to contact RUSA for assistance. However, the suspects noticed and removed the phone from his possession. RUSA said, 'This angered them (the suspects) and they drove him to a canefield and slit his throat.' The deceased was found partially decapitated in a cane field in Inanda. One suspect was convicted of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances and sentenced to five years. The two other suspects were convicted of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder. They were both sentenced to five years for kidnapping, 15 years for robbery and life imprisonment for murder. Terry Jabulani Ngomane (35) was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murdering and robbing a pensioner and ex-police officer at his home in Theunissen. Ngomane received 20 years' imprisonment for murder and 10 years' imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. 'Five years' of the robbery sentence will run concurrently with the murder sentence, meaning he will serve an effective 25 years behind bars,' read a police statement. Ngomane killed Sabata Tsoai at his residence in May 2018. 'His hands and feet were tied with cables, brutally assaulted and killed. His body was discovered a day later, with his property scattered throughout the house in Theunissen,' mentioned a police statement. Additionally, a firearm safe was found open with a missing firearm and the victim's cellphone. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
21-05-2025
- IOL News
Three men convicted in the murder trial of Mangosuthu University lecturer Chanlall Dwarika
Slain MUT lecturer Chanlall 'Shan' Dwarika. Image: Supplied Three men have been found guilty of the murder of an electrical engineer lecturer Chanlall Dwarika from the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) . At the same time, one was acquitted of all charges in the Durban High Court on Wednesday. Siyabonga Mahaye, Thobani Mhlongo, and Kwanele Makhaye were found guilty of kidnapping and killing 63-year-old Dwarika and robbing him. Their co-accused, Sihle Mkhize was acquitted of all charges as the court said that without him, Dwarika would never be found. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Dwarika was kidnapped on May 28, 2023, and his body was found in the bushes of Durban's notorious township, iNanda, on June 3, 2023. On the day he was kidnapped, he had come to his investment property situated in Sea Cow Lake to conduct maintenance. The daughter of Chanlall Dwarika, Ayuushi Dwarika-Rajbansi, and her mother, Janitha Dwarika. Image: Nomonde Zondi CCTV footage from the area showed Dwarika speaking to three men, who then forced him into the rear of his Honda CR-V. When he failed to return home, his family reported him missing to the police. His pictures were circulated on social media, and MUT held a media briefing calling for his safe return. The post-mortem results revealed that his throat had been slit and partially decapitated. Delivering her ruling, Judge Khosi Hadebe said the evidence presented by the State set out the role played by each of the accused on the day Dwarika met his gruesome death. She stated that it was evident to the court that Mahaye, Mhlongo, and Makhaye viewed Dwarika as a source of easy money. 'It is very possible that the Dwarika owed them unpaid wages,' Judge Hadebe said. She said Dwarika provided a shelter for the accused, he saw it fit to feed them, and he trusted them. 'Unfortunately, his trust cost him his life,' she added. She said the behaviors of the accused put them in a category of low lives, adding that the court was satisfied that the State proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. She said Mahaye was guilty of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances. According to her, the State failed to prove that he murdered Dwarika. She said Mhlongo and Makhaye were guilty of all the charges. Discharging Mkhize on all counts, Judge Hadebe said he was a sincere witness, and his actions of going to tell his supervisor after witnessing Dwarika being killed helped police make a breakthrough in the case. The wife of Dwarika, Janitha Dwarika, whom they had been married to for 40 years, could not utter a word as she cried after the court proceedings. His daughter, Ayuushi Dwarika-Rajbansi, said that since the passing of her father, they had received support from other academics from MUT who checked them from time to time. She got emotional talking about the trial. 'It was quite sad to hear what my father had to endure. I wish we had known sooner and tried to help. I wish we had a fighting chance to have helped him,' she said. Sentencing is expected on Thursday.
TimesLIVE
19-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
Judgment in case of four Dwarika murder accused expected on Wednesday
Durban high court judge Khosi Hadebe on Monday refused to entertain a request by an accused linked to the murder of Mangosuthu University of Technology engineering lecturer Chanlall 'Shan' Dwarika for time to sort out his banking issues. Kwanele Makhaye, 29, through his legal representative, had asked to address the court on his banking woes. He told the court that there was R11,000 in his bank account but he was unable to retrieve the money as his card was lost. Makhaye also told the court his four children were suffering due to his detention and the death of his father last year. 'Two of my children are staying with my mother while the other two are staying with their mother,' he said. He also said he was assaulted by the police on the day of his arrest. Hadebe did not entertain Makhaye's concerns. 'Mr Makhaye, since you are not on bail there must be security measures which should be put in place and the investigating officer can also not assist you,' said Hadebe. Makhaye is charged alongside Siyabonga Freeman Mahaye, 35, Thobani Mhlongo, 23, and Sihle Mkhize, 23, with kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder. Mhlongo has previously pleaded guilty on all charges. Hadebe was on Monday expected to deliver judgment in the case against the four suspects but she indicated she was not ready to proceed as she was still preparing the judgment. The case was then adjourned until Wednesday. Dwarika, 63, was kidnapped on May 28 in 2023 and later found dead. His body, according to police spokesperson Col Robert Neshiunda, was found in Mafuya Road in Inanda six days later. According to the indictment, Dwarika owned a property in Sea Cow Lake while he lived on another property in Verulam, north of Durban. Dwarika was renovating the Sea Cow Lake property as he intended to sell it to a tenant, identified as Pastor Miya. However, renovations were marred by the continued theft of materials. Another accused, Mahaye, hobbled into court using crutches and told senior prosecutor adv Krishen Shah he had been left injured in the prison showers. 'It's not nice being in prison,' lamented Mahaye. This prompted Shah to sympathise with him by saying 'sorry'. Dwarika's family members attended the court sitting. Previously, Dwarika's daughter Ayuush Rajbansi had testified in court. Rajbansi, who is based in Johannesburg and had access to her father's FNB cheque account, told the court there were a number of transactions which made her suspicious on the day he went missing. 'Three other transactions related to purchases made at a tavern,' said Rajbansi. She called her mother and contacted an aunt to find out about his whereabouts and found he was not with them. 'I put out a flyer on WhatsApp and Facebook and contacted [security company Reaction Unit SA,' said Rajbansi. She notified her manager about her father going missing. 'I was given time off work and my brother and I drove to Durban. On the way we received information from a neighbour who told us she had seen my dad with three men.' Rajbansi said they asked for footage from the neighbour, which they sent to the security company. A clip of the video footage of Dwarika being kidnapped from his Sea Cow Lake property was screened in court. In the video, the lecturer is seen being bundled into a vehicle. Three men are with him but their faces are not clearly visible in the dark. Rajbansi said her father planned to sell the property because of theft and burglary. In November, Mkhize during his testimony, told the court how the lecturer had begged for his life before his throat was slit. Postmortem reports indicated that Dwarika's throat was slit and he was also partially decapitated. Mkhize denied that Dwarika was assaulted and forced to increase the limit in his banking account before being taken to the bushes in Inanda where he was killed. Mkhize also recalled how when he initially got into Dwarika's Honda SUV, his co-accused was driving and he sat in the front seat while Dwarika was seated at the back. Mhlongo and Makhaye had previously been identified as the culprits who had hatched a plot to kill Dwarika.
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Forbes
How This Boutique Hotel In Kathmandu Is Keeping Nepal's Heritage Alive
Nepal is a country shrouded in mystery. Home to Mount Everest and the mighty Himalayan Mountain range, it has long attracted mountaineers and trekkers aiming to conquer the world's highest peak and soak in its dramatic landscapes. Kathmandu's Durbar Square, Nepal But every country is multifaceted, and Nepal's location — landlocked between India and Tibetan China — has shaped a distinct cultural identity, one that blends Hinduism with Tibetan mysticism and a refined craftsmanship that continues to this day. Whether you're looking for a jumping-off point for a trek or hoping to spend time exploring Kathmandu's many temples, there's one hotel that offers an exclusive window into Nepal's living history: The Dwarika's. A veritable temple to Nepalese woodworking, The Dwarika's is a luxury boutique hotel filled with original carved masterpieces that reflect the country's Newari heritage, an architectural tradition rooted in the Kathmandu Valley and known for its elaborate woodwork and brick façades. The hotel's central courtyard The hotel is named after its founder, Dwarika Das Shrestha, who opened The Dwarika's in 1972 with a vision to showcase, and safeguard, Nepal's artisanship. His entry into tourism, however, was somewhat accidental. It began two decades earlier, when he stumbled upon a family stripping intricately carved wooden columns from an old home to use as firewood. Kathmandu was modernizing rapidly, and Western-style architecture was the look of the moment — easier to maintain, and seen as a symbol of progress. But those old materials represented something more: the city's roots, its stories, its identity. Saddened by the idea that future generations might grow up disconnected from this heritage, Mr. Dwarika began collecting carved wooden elements from buildings slated for demolition — window frames, doorways, columns — piece by piece, year after year. Carpenters Many of these salvaged pieces required restoration, so Mr. Dwarika established a workshop and hired master carvers to both restore the artifacts and teach a new generation of apprentices — helping to keep a disappearing art form alive. But preservation alone wasn't enough. The project needed to be self-sustaining. And so, he opened a small guesthouse with just 10 rooms to help fund his growing vision. Today, The Dwarika's spans 2.5 acres and features 80 rooms and suites, each one adorned with original woodwork, handcrafted furnishings and thoughtful Nepalese details. In 2026, the hotel will open a new wing with an additional 40 rooms. There is also a sister property in Dhulikhel, a countryside retreat about an hour outside Kathmandu, designed as a space focused on nature, wellness and slow living. The Dwarika's Kathmandu The Dwarika's remains a family-run enterprise and is now in its third generation. The founder's daughter, Sangita Shrestha, oversees business development and sustainability initiatives, while her son — and Mr. Dwarika's grandson — René Shrestha, leads the hotel's day-to-day operations. 'My father had so much respect for these old pieces — he believed they should live,' Sangita explains. 'He didn't want them gathering dust in a museum. But because modern needs are different, we've had to adapt them without losing their character.' The secret to maintaining heritage, she says, is about balance. 'You have to keep its authenticity while updating its utility,' she says. The Dwarika's Kathmandu The hotel itself feels like a microcosm of Nepal. Its architecture — red brick walls accented with carved timber — evokes the grandeur of traditional Newari palaces. At its heart lies a sun-drenched courtyard where guests can linger over coffee or lunch under shady umbrellas. Nearby, stone waterspouts (locally known as 'hiti') pay homage to Kathmandu Valley's ancient water systems. It's a rare experience — not just to admire this kind of architecture, but to live within it. As René points out, 'You'll only see this style of carved timber and brick architecture at UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But to stay surrounded by it — to sleep within it — that's something unique to The Dwarika's.' The Dwarika's Kathmandu The property also has a large swimming pool inspired by 12th-century royal baths and plenty of quiet nooks where you can unwind, whether you opt to pick up a book at Ambica's Library, a drink at Fusion Bar or enjoy an ayurvedic massage at Pancha Kosha Himalayan Spa. Food is central to The Dwarika's philosophy, with ingredients sourced from the hotel's six organic farms dotted across Nepal. The result is a hyper-local, farm-to-table dining experience that changes with the seasons. Krishnarpan, the hotel's signature restaurant, offers a slow-dining tasting menu that introduces guests to regional Nepali dishes, many of which are rarely found in restaurants. Other dining options include Toran, an all-day restaurant serving Nepalese and Indian classics alongside Asian and Western dishes, and Mako's, a Japanese restaurant specializing in kaiseki-inspired menus. The Dwarika's Kathmandu True to Mr. Dwarika's original passion for travel and culture, the hotel organizes curated experiences both in Kathmandu and around the country. Highlights include the city's three UNESCO-listed Durbar Squares — in Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur — each showcasing remarkable examples of Newari architecture and palace complexes. Nearby Pashupatinath Temple, one of Hinduism's most important pilgrimage sites, offers a powerful glimpse into Nepal's spiritual life, while the magnificent Boudhanath Stupa is among the world's largest and most revered for Tibetan Buddhists. Hotel guests can also join an evening aarti (a ritual of light, music, and prayer) at the nearby Ram Mandir for an insight into Kathmandu's devotional culture. And don't miss peeking into the hotel's wood carving studio to see talented artisans in action. The Dwarika's Kathmandu The best hotels offer more than just a place to stay — they provide a sense of place and a connection to the city and country beyond its walls. It's a philosophy that Sangita continues to champion, both through the hotel and in her hopes for Nepal more broadly. In a world where so many destinations are grappling with the effects of overtourism, she remains optimistic about Nepal's future. While many young Nepalese still leave to pursue opportunities abroad, Sangita believes the country offers something increasingly rare — a slower pace of life, a deeply rooted spirituality, and an enduring human warmth that can't be replicated by technology. 'I truly believe this region can offer what every human being needs: consciousness,' she tells me. 'Here, that energy is still very much alive — in the shrines, the stupas, the consecrated spaces that fill this valley.'
