Horror as pensioner set alight

Children witness bloody murder

AMDANTSANE pensioner died after being beaten and stabbed in the chest with a garden fork by his neighbour – who then set him alight.

Mzamo Balura, 65, of NU12 died from his injuries on Saturday evening at the Soga informal settlement while waiting for an ambulance.

His alleged attacker, Fezile Mthetho, was later allegedly beaten by enraged community members and is receiving treatment at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital for his injuries.

Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said yesterday Mthetho would face a murder charge once he is released from hospital.

“The suspect is alleged to have attacked the deceased with a garden fork before he poured paraffin on his body and set him alight,” he said.

Mbi said Mthetho was allegedly badly beaten by angry residents before he was rescued by Vulindlela police who then called an ambulance to assist him.

His alleged attack on the elderly Balura was witnessed by four children including a 10-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl who happened to be passing by at the time.

After witnessing the alleged killing, the children alerted nearby residents.

The mother of two of the children, Nothini Waphi, 56, said they had seen Mthetho light a cigarette from the flames consuming Balura’s body.

“The children were on their way to the Spar to buy food when they came back crying, saying a man was burning near one of the shacks,” she said.

Waphi said residents rushed to the scene. “They poured water over him and he was still alive but later died while waiting for an ambulance.”

Although Mthetho had already left, the residents set out to look for him. He was found walking back to the scene and the angry mob is alleged to have severely assaulted him.

The two men had lived in shacks next to one another near the Mdantsane Correctional Services.

Mthetho’s girlfriend Nompumelelo Boyi, who ekes out a living by selling sheep heads, said Mthetho had told her he had killed his neighbour.

She said Balura was returning to his shack after buying paraffin when he was accosted by Mthetho who wanted money. When Balura refused, Mthetho allegedly attacked him.

On Sunday residents held a community meeting and agreed that Mthetho was no longer welcome.

“They came and told me that I need to take everything I owned in the shack before they could burn it,” said Boyi. “They were so impatient they burned it down with some of my clothes still inside.”