Theasen Pillay: Top Durban attorney now found dead with stab wounds

Mystery surrounds the death of high profile Umhlanga attorney, Theasen Pillay, who has been found stabbed in his apartment after apparently leaving a suicide note in his office on Friday.

Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) said in a statement that 47-year old Theasen Pillay, owner of Attorneys Theasen Pillay & Associates, had been found dead in his apartment in Solstice Road in Umhlanga Ridge on Friday morning.

“Reaction Unit South Africa  received a call at 11:34 from a relative requesting assistance after he made the discovery. Reaction Officers and RUSA Paramedics were dispatched to the scene and on arrival found Pillay in his bedroom. He suffered stab wounds to his arm and chest,” RUSA said.

“It was established that Pillay left a suicide note at his offices in Umhlanga, KZN prior to leaving the premises this morning. His employees discovered the note and called him,” Rusa said.

“During a telephonic conversation he assured them that he was fine and needed some time alone. They then informed his family and requested that they check on his well being. His brother proceeded to his apartment and gained access with a set of spare keys when he made the discovery,” RUSA said.

Theasen Pillay, was a high profile attorney in Umhlanga, known for taking on many medical legal cases for patients who had suffered injury and loss in state hospitals. One of his clients was a Phoenix couple who brought a R15 million claim against an uMhlanga specialist obstetrician for the emotional trauma they had suffered during and after the birth of their severely deformed baby. The mother had relayed in court papers that she would never forget how she had cried uncontrollably as she held her “horrifically deformed” baby in her arms and the doctor, who was stitching her told her to “keep quiet”.

Theasen Pillay also assisted two grieving families with their R25 million damages suit against the Department of Health after they left traumatised when they were given the wrong bodies of their relatives for burial by Grey’s Hospital.

KZN SAPS had not responded to questions at the time of publication.