Mother recounts discovering Sherne Pillay's body

 The 37-year-old man is accused of killing the make-up artist, who he'd been dating for about a year, in her Overport home on Saturday.

Pillay was found with a cable tie around her neck and suffered injuries to her face.

 Her devastated mother, Nadira says her grandson turned six last Thursday and her daughter was planning a party for him on Sunday. 

She says Sherne left on Friday night to spend time with Chohan and promised to be back early the next day to do birthday shopping.

Nadira says her daughter also asked her to come back with her to the home to help her pack her things, as she planned to leave Chohan.

"I tried calling her the next day, I tried and I Whatsapped her continuously and he said to me she is asleep, he's not at home right now and then he said she locked herself in the bathroom. It's like he was avoiding the question." 

READ: Durban man accused of Sherne Pillay's murder weeps in court

She says when she got to the complex, there were a group of people downstairs,  "I ran upstairs and I go into the apartment and he's father is there and a whole lot of guys there and my baby is lying on the bed," she said. 

"He was sitting on the floor, he's got scissors in his hand and he is trying to cut the cable ties from her neck and I screamed at him and I said don't you do that, you going to hurt her." 

Pillay says she doesn't know how to explain to her grandson that his mother is no longer here.

 "I want justice! I don't want sympathy, I will get through this. I will have to be strong for my grandson. I have a very heavy path ahead of me to raise this young man. I need all the strength and justice I need to get justice for my baby," she cried. 

"One day when her son grows up, he must say, mum, my granny did everything to make sure mums murderer was put to away." 

Chohan's case has been postponed until next week.