2017-08-07 07:21 <\/p>\n
Tania Broughton, News24 Correspondent <\/p>\n
Durban - The day a book about his life was sent to the printers, legendary Durban photographer Peter Duffy died. <\/p>\n
Once a mercenary - who spent time in jail for his role in the failed 1981 Seychelles coup - his death while sitting on a bench outside a Durban shopping centre last week, could be considered somewhat of an anti-climax. <\/p>\n
Before Duffy's death of a presumed heart attack, he had become a recluse - estranged from many, including his friend of more than 30 years, author and journalist Graham Linscott. <\/p>\n
Linscott wrote the book Ricochets, the Life of mercenary soldier Peter Duffy after a series of interviews which took place in Linscott's home where Duffy was recuperating after a hip operation. <\/p>\n
Duffy claimed he couldn't handle the stairs at his own home. True to Duffy's secretive style, no-one knew exactly where the house was, let alone had been there. <\/p>\n
After signing a contract and co-operating with Linscott, he walked out of his house one day and said he wanted nothing more to do with the project. <\/p>\n
\"We didn't speak for three years. People said I should apologise to him. But there was nothing to apologise for. I didn't know what I had done wrong, if anything,\" Linscott said. <\/p>\n
\"But he was aware that the book was going to published and somehow got an advanced copy of it. I am told he showed it to several people who all told him he should be delighted with it. But now I will never know.\" <\/p>\n
'Romp' <\/p>\n
Linscott describes the book as a \"romp\" and not a serious book. <\/p>\n
Because while it deals with some serious topics, it is told very much in Duffy's humorous and mischievous style. <\/p>\n
\"Linscott is the only man who understands my sense of humour,\" he used to say. <\/p>\n
In the foreword, Linscott describes Duffy, who was born in Scotland into relative wealth, as an eccentric adventurer. <\/p>\n
His was a coffee planter in Tanganyika, took up karate in Japan, acted as a film stunt man, and served as mercenary in the Congo, invading the Seychelles Islands and hijacking a plane to escape. <\/p>\n
When he wanted a \"quieter life\" he took up news photography, working mainly for the Daily News and Sunday Tribune in Durban. <\/p>\n
He loved eating out and cooking. In his later years he would be known to pitch up friend's houses armed with ingredients. Sometimes he would stay for weeks. <\/p>\n
'Inner circle' <\/p>\n
Up to his death, an \"inner circle\", including some of Durban's top restaurateurs remained loyal to him. <\/p>\n
In a tribute posted on Facebook, former colleague Yogin Devan wrote: \"I first met Peter Duffy when I joined the Sunday Tribune in 1980. Not too long thereafter he became involved in the hijacking saga. <\/p>\n
\"When he returned to the Tribune after serving his jail sentence, I worked with Duffy regularly. Some journalists frowned upon his antics as a mercenary and hijacker and gave him a wide berth. <\/p>\n
\"I preferred going on out-of-town assignments with Duffy - the boredom of long trips disappeared as he regaled me with stories about all his adventures. <\/p>\n
\"I also decided that Duffy could be handy when interviews became tricky - he had a black belt in karate. <\/p>\n
\"Duffy and I went on several exciting and dangerous missions into the then Transkei and Ciskei - and once got caught in the violence following a coup in Bisho. <\/p>\n
\"Duffy was most knowledgeable about gourmet cooking and alcoholic beverages. He bragged about cooking a good few last suppers when he was in Pretoria Central Prison. He recalled that one condemned prisoner's last meal request was scrambled eggs. Duffy was also a connoisseur of cocktails.\" <\/p>\n
'What a read...' <\/p>\n
Devan said in October 2016, he arranged a cordial meeting in Mumbai between Duffy and Captain Umesh Saxena, the pilot of the Air India plane that Duffy and his fellow mercenaries had hijacked. <\/p>\n
\"They shared their versions of the episode over beers and a meal. I once read through the manuscripts of his life story. What a read <\/p>\n
\"When I broke the news of Duffy's death to Capt Saxena this [Saturday] morning, he was shocked and saddened.\" <\/p>\n
Ricochets will be officially launched on August 17 at Adams in Musgrave Centre, Durban.<\/p>\n
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