/ 17 November 2011

Goldin, Bloom murderer denied parole

Nurshad Davids, one of the killers of Brett Goldin and Richard Bloom, has been refused parole after a gruelling eight-hour hearing.

One of the killers of Brett Goldin and Richard Bloom has been refused parole, the Cape Times newspaper reported on Thursday.

Goldin’s mother Denise told the newspaper that she was “extremely relieved” after a gruelling eight-hour parole hearing during which she came face-to-face with Nurshad Davids.

“But he will be eligible for parole again in two years’ time and we will have to face this all again,” she said.

Davids was sentenced to 15 years, three of which were suspended, for the kidnapping, hijacking and armed robbery of Goldin and Bloom in 2006. He has served five years.

He was also sentenced to 28 years, with Shavaan Marlie, for their murders.

Western Cape Correctional Services spokesperson Simphiwe Xako said the Parole Board had deemed the parole application “premature”.

“In terms of the law he has to serve two-thirds of his sentence before he could be eligible for parole. He will only be eligible on November 25, 2014.”

Goldin said Davids’ mother and sister were also at the parole hearing.

“It was very difficult for me to see them, but I also think they were put in the picture and were able to see and hear what the effect of this crime has been on our family,” she said.

Goldin, an actor, and Bloom, a clothing designer, were killed with single shots to the head in Mowbray, Cape Town, on April 16 2006 after leaving a party in the Camps Bay area.

Goldin had been set to go to the United Kingdom as part of a South African production of Hamlet in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Brian Helman, who was Richard Bloom’s partner at the time of the murder, said: “I am delighted with the outcome and feel we defended Richard and Brett’s honour in a very special way.

“It was a very tense day and it was difficult to sit in the room with one of the perpetrators and address them face to face.”

He said Davids had asked the Goldin and Bloom families to enter a restorative justice programme with him.

“This would entail speaking to him and working with him to reach a point of forgiveness. We said we would be able to do this at a later stage as we are not quite ready.” — Sapa