Safcor chairman and wife murdered in their Athol home

THE FREIGHT industry was in shock this week following news of the death of Peter Desilla, executive chairman of Safcor, and his wife Lisa on Sunday (May 31). The couple was gunned down in their Athol, Johannesburg home at 21:00.
Desilla joined Safcor 20 years ago and distinguished himself among colleagues and competitors as one of the industry's visionaries.
He had an unbelievably sharp mind and total devotion to Safcor as a company and the industry as a whole, m.d. Philip Womersley told FTW on Monday.
Executives and staff at Safcor are totally shattered.
Desilla had just spent the weekend with top management in the Drakensberg preparing the budget for the new financial year.
Most of the executives had brought along their wives, and it was a meeting he had enjoyed, said Womersley.
His wife Lisa was a respected businesswoman, having distinguished herself as the top salesperson for Pam Golding Properties in Johannesburg.
Safcor holding company Bidvest described him as one of the most highly rated executives who would be deeply missed by his colleagues.
Des Mooney, chairman of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders in Gauteng, extended his and the Association's deepest regret. He was highly respected and admired, very fair and very successful.
Desilla, who was close to retirement, leaves two sons and a recently-married daughter.