An elderly man has been left without a roof over his head after his home was burned down, allegedly by a loan shark.
Khayelitsha oupa, Monde Nkampule, 60, says he borrowed R500 from the informal moneylender, Madlamini Khozana, who is his neighbour.
He says he paid his debt but last week Khozana allegedly wanted more money.
“Last year in November I found out that my social grant had been stopped and then I went to borrow money from my neighbour,” he explains.
“I asked for R500 and she told me that I would pay R40 interest for every R100, meaning I would pay back R700.
“I agreed because I was desperate for money. And so I paid back R700 over the past six months.”
He explains at the beginning of this month he received his pension and that is when Khozana allegedly attacked him.
“She said I still owe her R1650. I told her I didn’t have that and that I was done paying her.
“She and the daughter told me that they will burn my house down. A few days later she came and broke my windows and I went to the police to report her.
“A week ago on Monday, the police were here with me taking down the statement about the broken windows.
“My neighbour’s child came to threaten me, and a few hours later while I was not at home my house was set alight and now I believe that the daughter did this because she told me she would.
“Luckily I was not inside the house when it happened.
“I have lost everything to the fire, I have no clothes, food and money. ”
The Daily Voice went to Khozana twice but was told that she was not home.
Her son confirmed there is a case being investigated by the Lingelethu West police: “My mom is not at home at the moment. I am aware of the feud and the police are handling it.”
Messages and calls to her cellphone went unanswered.
SAPS spokesperson FC van Wyk says: “A case of malicious damage to property was opened and a female suspect was arrested.
“A case of arson was opened for the house that burned and no suspect is arrested, the police are still investigating [that] case.”
He says the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za