Cape Town chef dies in buggy crash on Branson’s Island — Police launch probe

Sihle Somdaka

Cape Town – Sir Richard Branson has been left devastated after the death of South African executive sous chef Sihle Somdaka, 37, in a tragic electric buggy crash on Necker Island, his exclusive £95,000-a-night Caribbean retreat.

According to the Daily Mail, Somdaka – a father-of-two and rising star in the culinary world – lost control of a buggy late on Friday night after attending a farewell party at the island’s Great House.

Despite frantic CPR efforts and being rushed to hospital, he was later pronounced dead from a head injury. Insiders also warned of a long-standing “culture of excess” on the island, suggesting the tragedy followed years of “close shaves and near misses.”

Reporting by The New Zealand Herald confirmed that Branson, 75, was not on the island at the time but has been in close contact with Somdaka’s family and staff.

Medics and a doctor from nearby Moskito Island attempted to revive him before he was taken to Peebles Hospital on Tortola, where he was declared dead. Police in the British Virgin Islands have since launched a full investigation.

New York Post added that Somdaka had worked at high-end restaurants in Kuwait and Qatar before landing the prestigious role on Branson’s retreat.

He left the farewell party just after midnight and crashed while driving down a steep hillside. Days before the incident, he had shared photos on social media celebrating “Caribbean life.”

The paper also noted that Necker Island has hosted notable guests over the years, including Princess Diana, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, and former US President Barack Obama.

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