- The Cape Town media fraternity is devastated by the sudden death of renowned photographer, Enver Essop.
- Colleagues who he worked with over the years paid tribute to him as they came to terms with the loss of one of their own.
- Essop was buried in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The Cape Town media fraternity is devastated by the sudden death of renowned photographer Enver Essop.
"He was a very soft-hearted person," said Sunday Times photographer Esa Alexander.
Essop was part of a group of tight-knit photographers, along with Alexander.
They knew each other from Die Burger originally and many stayed in touch in a chat group. The news of his death came as a shock.
One of Alexander's treasured photos is a picture of himself, Yunus Mohamed (the former Die Burger picture editor) and Essop visiting the kramat at Robben Island during a staff function.
"Enver was a very quiet person. He was a very private person," said Alexander.
The keen lensman cooked food for others during the lockdown, drawing on the cooking secrets his mother taught him.
He was famous for the "excellent curry" that his mother taught him to cook. He would take it to friends to share it with them.
"Enver was the best cook," Alexander said fondly.
He attended the prayers for Essop, which took place outside the Masjid Ghiedmatiel Islamia in the city on Tuesday, because the Covid-19 regulations do not permit indoor prayer. He was later buried at Mowbray cemetery in a small ceremony, also in line with regulations.
Essop's career included work for the Cape Argus and The Cape Times.
Independent Media editor-in-chief Aneez Salie said in a tribute on IOL: "I am saddened by the news. It was a pleasure working with Enver. Nothing was too far for him."
Friends offered sympathy and said that he would send them messages just to say hello and remembered their birthdays.
IOL reported that Cape Argus acting deputy editor Quinton Mtyala worked with Essop when he was still an intern.
"He was very nice and a very dedicated person, you would never hear him in the office, never shouted and never got angry."
He is survived by his wife Philda and two children.
His death came as journalists also mourned the death of Solly Maphumulo of The Star newspaper in Gauteng.
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