Community rallies to search for missing businessman Anesen Pillay after vehicle found burnt

Anesen Pillay, a 48-year-old Northdale businessman, has gone missing after attending a funeral.

His family is desperate for answers following the discovery of his burnt vehicle and skeletal remains inside, in France township.

The community has joined the search as police investigate the circumstances of his disappearance.

The businessman was last seen on Saturday afternoon after attending a funeral at Aryan Hall on Khan Road.

His family has been desperately searching for answers since he failed to return home or attend a function he had planned to go to that evening.

Pillay’s cousin, Somalan Moodley, said he had been with Pillay at the funeral before he left to attend to his business in Scottsville.

“Anesen was with me on Saturday, we attended the funeral together. After he said he was going to attend his business in Scottsville. He left at 2pm but he never reached his premises,” said Moodley.

Moodley said Pillay had planned to attend a party at 6pm and had told his mother that he would return home to get ready before going to the function.

However, concern grew when Pillay failed to respond to a message from his mother at about 4pm.

“His mother became worried when he did not answer her message to buy bread, even though the message was read. It is not in his nature not to answer his mother,” Moodley said.

According to Moodley, Pillay’s phone was switched off by about 4.30pm, prompting his mother to repeatedly call him throughout the night.

“At some point she believed maybe he had decided to go to the function straight after work but when it came around the time he should have returned, she knew something was wrong,” he said.

On Sunday morning, family members and friends began searching areas where they believed Pillay could have gone.

“Those at the function said he never arrived. That was when we reported it to Mountain Rise SAPS and opened a missing persons case,” Moodley said.