It was a tragic and unexpected end to two lives when Matri and Nicholas Molver never woke up the morning after their quiet evening in their Durban flat. An investigation into their deaths revealed that a dangerous poison had been spread throughout the flat, a poison intended to kill rats in grain silos, not registered for use in indoor fumigation. Months later, the victims’ family demands justice.
The story begins in Observatory Court, Durban where Zoe Malver grew up, the flat where her three boys were looked after by their grandparents while she was at work. When Zoe’s mother died, Matri and Nicholas Molver moved into the flat, the start of a new life. They were about to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary.
The tragedy occurred on the 27th of September 2022. On that day, two men claiming to be pest control operators had fumigated the unoccupied flat next door. No one in the complex had been warned, and the men had used aluminium phosphide pellets, releasing a gas that is colourless, flammable, and deadly.
The police investigation revealed that the pest control operators had not been registered as such, and had used a license that did not belong to them to purchase the deadly poison. Moreover, the tenants should have been informed, the flat should have been evacuated, and a fumigation display board should have been posted, none of which occurred.
The family has been supporting the police investigation, gathering evidence to put together a dossier. They discovered that not only was the company unlicensed, but the license used by the operators did not belong to them. A retired Hawks captain now in private security believes the actions to be criminal.
The family has also sent the deceased’s biological samples for private testing. The private laboratory completed the toxicology tests within a week and it confirmed aluminium phosphide poisoning.
The tragedy has highlighted the importance of hiring registered pest control operators and making sure they are qualified to do the job. It is not enough for companies to simply say they are experts and know what they’re doing. The family of Matri and Nicholas Molver hopes that their call for justice will be heard and that those responsible for their deaths will be held accountable.