Man stabbed to death at Umhlanga hotel was a top surgeon

The 51-year-old man who was stabbed to death in the corridor of a plush Umhlanga hotel has been identified as top orthopaedic surgeon Dr Melvin Naidu.

Naidu, who was the subject of a failed hit last year allegedly by his brother-law neurosurgeon Dr Anand Rapiti, was in the company of a 31-year-old woman at the upmarket The Capital Pearls when he died on Thursday.

Advocate Paul Jorgensen, who had represented Rapiti in the conspiracy to commit murder matter before the Durban magistrate’s court earlier this year, told TimesLIVE that the charge had been withdrawn against his client.

The National Prosecuting Authority did not respond to a query about the matter.

According to previous media reports Rapiti was accused of hiring a patient to have Naidu killed following an alleged family feud.

His company website Occuworx Health and Safety, stated that Naidu did his post-graduate training in orthopaedics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s medical school, before obtaining further qualifications from the College of Surgeons SA.

Occuworx offered a turnkey solution for occupational health and safety for industries.

Police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said that the woman had been arrested and charged with murder.

On Thursday night about 10pm guests alerted hotel security after overhearing an altercation.

The man, who was in his boxer shorts and sandals, collapsed outside the blood splattered hotel room door.

“The suspect was heard screaming for help, followed by the [man] who was also shouting for help.

"A 51-year-old man fell on to the floor outside the room with a stab wound on the neck,” police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said.