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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
A 92-YEAR-OLD woman from Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb is appealing for help after her 47-year-old grandson set the family home on fire following a heated argument with tenants he accused of trying to steal his grandmother’s house.

In a drunken stupor, it is reported that Nkululeko Mpofu torched the house on Monday night, burning property that belonged to a tenant Ms Sithandweyinkosi Tshuma, (31).

The property lost in the inferno was worth $50 000.

Now Gogo Gladys Sibanda, who is temporarily living with relatives in Old Pumula is worried as to how she will replace and repair the burnt property.

“My grandson arrived in the evening drunk and found myself and MaTshuma talking. We were discussing the Bible.

He then started accusing us that we are gossiping about him and then we replied saying why should we gossip about you when we are discussing the Bible.

“He then started saying the tenants were not paying rent money on time. MaTshuma replied to him saying, how many times did he want her to pay rent. I also added that how can he ask me about money that doesn’t concern him,” said Gogo Sibanda.

She said Nkululeko insulted Ms Tshuma and they had a heated exchange outside the house.

“Thereafter he started insulting MaTshuma, they took their argument outside. I tried to quell the situation. Leaving us outside the house, Nkululeko then entered the house and locked it. I then tried to speak to him.  After failing to reason with him, I left to look for the residents’ association representative to come help me.

When I was there, I then got word that the house was on fire. I tried to rush back with the residents and we were in the company of the police. I saw the house burning and neighbours took me in and I don’t know what happened thereafter,” said Gogo Sibanda.

She said Nkululeko, who is in police custody, often insults her when he gets drunk.

“I don’t think he has a mental problem. I have lived with him since he was born and his parents died, his father in 1991 and his mother in 1998. He becomes a problem the moment he drinks alcohol. He starts insulting me with inhlamba (swear words). It’s as if I’m not his grandmother when he starts insulting me,” said Gogo Sibanda.

She said she was at a loss as to how she would remedy the situation.

“The tenants were helping me to pay bills and buy tablets that manage my blood pressure. There is no other source of income and now I’m stressed about how I will replace their property. The one who is in the spare bedroom, their money was being used to pay bills and the one who was sleeping in the kitchen, that income would buy me food and other things. I don’t know how I will buy food and pay the bills for this house, let alone replace their property,” said Gogo Sibanda.

Her tenant, Ms Tshuma said she and her husband were waiting for a way forward from Gogo Sibanda’s family after their property was destroyed by fire.

“I was trying to protect Gogo from Nkululeko.  He was threatening to beat her up. In the three years that I have lived there, he has threatened Gogo and another relative with violence and also to torch the house. When we took the argument outside the house, Gogo followed and then he turned around and locked himself inside and lit a fire burning all of my possessions,” said Ms Tshuma.

“I really don’t have anywhere to go as all my property was burnt. We are staying there at the house waiting for a way forward from Gogo’s family about how we can recover our property. I have a one-year-old child, a boy, the other is 10 years old a girl. Thank God that they weren’t in the house when he burnt it.”

Bulawayo City Council Chief Fire Officer Linos Phiri said it is concerning that cases of people burning houses where they are living with their parents or grandparents are on the rise.

“Another case happened on Sunday in Cowdray Park and another happened in Queens Park last month,” he said.
He said property worth $50 000 was burnt in the Entumbane attack, including a bed and the roof of the house.

“If there are children who are a problem, we urge people to seek help when the problems begin. It’s either by counselling by professionals or the family so as to try to avoid such situations from happening,” he said.

Bulawayo police provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube the incident occurred on Monday at around 1700 hours.

“The accused person entered into the tenant ‘s room and accused her of pretending to be good to his grandmother so that she will remain as a house beneficiary. The complainant left the accused person since she knew that he was violent. The accused person later locked the door and lit the curtain using a matchstick,” said Inspector Ncube.

He said when the room was lit, MaTshuma sought help from the neighbours who broke down the door and took Nkululeko out.

Inspector Ncube urged members of the public to solve their problems amicably rather than to use violence.
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