Roof collapses on woman
A 62-YEAR-old Durban pensioner is demanding compensation after the roof of a house collapsed on her while she was sleeping on Friday night.
Dhanalutchmie Pillay claims to be suffering internal injuries and said she is coughing up blood following the incident.
“It was about midnight when I heard something in the ceiling. I called out, thinking someone had broken in. When I heard no response, I assumed it was rats in the roof.”
Pillay said the next thing she saw was a cloud of smoke and immediately jumped out of bed.
“I thought someone had thrown a bomb into the house. I ran to wake up my friend, who was staying with me, and told him to get up. We both ran outside and started to scream when we realised the roof had collapsed,” she said.
According to Pillay, the police, who attended the scene, were unable to assist as it was not a criminal case.
“They told me to take it up with my landlord.”
Pillay said she did not call emergency services or paramedics as she had no money to pay them.
“I don’t have a cent to my name, neither do I have any family to help me. I’m all alone.”
Pillay said she tried to call her landlord for help but he did not answer.
“I have no place to stay. The house is in a bad state. My furniture is damaged and he never tried to help. I now sleep at my neighbour’s house but spend the day outside my house for fear that my belongings will be stolen. I want some kind of compensation from my landlord for the pain and suffering I am going through.”
The landlord has attributed the roof collapse to illegal construction taking place next door.
“I did tell the tenant to move out three months ago when I noticed cracks in the building but she failed to do so.”