The saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" rang true for a husband from Itsani village when his wife allegedly set fire to their six-room family house in a fit of rage on Friday, 13 December.
Indeed, Friday the 13th was a day of bad luck for the aggrieved husband and owner of the house, Mr Phanuel Nemungadi. He said the relationship with his wife had not been good for some time. The incident, which occurred around 05:20, is believed to be related to domestic violence.
"A few days before the incident, she sent us a threatening message saying that my mother and I would see something bad that we had never seen before. We did not take it seriously and did not think it would go that far. I was at work when I heard that my wife was packing everything into a truck. When I returned, I found many of the household goods and her missing," said Nemungadi.
He said he felt relieved that his wife had left, hoping that it would be the end of what he described as his misery. "Little did I know that the worst was still to come. On Thursday, 12 December, she came back, and I did not even question her about the missing items. I sensed she might harm me, so I decided to sleep in my bakkie. Early that morning, I woke up and prepared myself for work. I sometimes leave the bakkie at home, but I decided to take it to my parents' home. It was only after a short time at work that I received a call saying my house was on fire. I rushed back home to find the house completely gutted," Nemungadi said.
He believes his wife set fire to his house as soon as he left for work.
"I am an ordinary security officer, and I have worked so hard to achieve what I have and to be where I am today. To see everything I worked for go up in flames in minutes - this is painful. The worst part is that this is not the first time she has done this," said Nemungadi.
He claims that, years ago, his wife damaged his sound system and also threw some household items into a pit toilet. "This is a massive loss, and I do not even know how I will get back on my feet. I have no grudge against her, and even if she is granted bail, I will not mind, as long as I am safe and have peace of mind," Nemungadi said.
Vhembe SAPS spokesperson W/O Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the incident, saying they had opened an arson case. "A 37-year-old suspect, who is the wife of the complainant, was arrested," Dathi said.