An ungrateful man who had taken some food on credit from his landlord allegedly repaid her by burning her four mud huts down and destroying everything she had in the process. The shocking incident that is still the talk of the community took place at Doreen, outside Musina, on Friday 25 August at around 20:00.
The owner of the huts, Ms Selina Makhado (67), said she was at home when one of her tenants, who is originally from Hamanenzhe, showed up at her home. According to her, he was very drunk at that point.
Makhado, who works as a hawker selling Mopani worms and other handy goods, said the man had arrived at the village about three months ago as a seasonal worker at the nearby citrus farms at Doreen. "I treated him like my own son and gave him a place to stay for only R100 a month when he first arrived. He did not have money when he arrived, and I helped him with foodstuffs to keep him going until he got his first pay. Life was good and this went on for some time, but then I gave him some Mopani worms worth only R40. That broke our relationship up as he refused to pay me back,"
Makhado said that, on the day of the incident, she was busy doing some house chores in and around her home when the man arrived. "He was very intoxicated and started hurling insults at me. He gave me only R7 of the money he owed me and continued to insult me, saying I love money. I was busy making tea, as it was cold, and as soon as I got inside one of the huts to fetch sugar, I heard people yelling that he was setting the huts on fire. When I got out, all the huts were burning. Neighbours came and tried to extinguish the fire, but it was too fierce. Nothing was saved from the huts. I lost everything, including valuable documents and cash that were in one of the huts. I am so hurt and disappointed. I treated this man like my own son. I cared for him when no one cared, and this is how he repays me for my kindness. I am a very poor woman and I do not even know what to do now," Makhado said.
The traditional leader, Vhamusanda Vho Thiwelimulambo Rammbuda, who visited the family, inspected the damage in disbelief. "We have never experienced something like this in this area. I am so touched. Just imagine the poor family left with nothing. This is a shame," he said.
A suspect has since been arrested and charged with arson. He has already appeared in court and his case was postponed to 5 September. He remains in custody.