Actor and lawyer Charles Pillai, better known in his later years as a supporter of human rights and consumer justice, died in Cape Town at the age of 57, after having been diagnosed with liver cancer in September. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
Having studied performing arts and law at the former University of Durban-Westville, Charles Pillay married theatre and TV personality Saira Essa. After their marriage broke up, Pillai remarried and moved to Pretoria where he became the head of the Legal Resources Centre, handling human rights issues.
He will long be remembered for his performance as Amichand Rajbansi in the play The James Commission.