A domestic worker was killed during a house robbery on Atlas Road in Bonaero Park Extension Two on Thursday last week.
Her employer, who wishes to remain anonymous, found her body.
“I came home around 3.40pm and realised my gate was halfway open,” he said.
Once inside, he called her but she didn’t respond. In the kitchen he saw the fridge door was open and the lounge was ransacked. He then ran outside.
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“My neighbour saw me and I asked him to come with me as I could tell something was wrong. We found my domestic worker tied up and gagged on the floor in a bedroom. She was dead.
“My son was home in the morning and left around noon, so it seems this happened between that time and when I got back,” he said.
“This is very traumatic as she was part of the family. She worked for us for 16 years. We can replace the material things they took but how do you replace a life? I can’t go into a store and ask them to give me her life, she is gone.”
There was a pillow on the floor next to her and only her feet were tied.
“We have never experienced an incident like this in the 20 years we have been living here. Now I am too scared to walk in my own yard. We haven’t slept in our house since Thursday.”
Three plasma TVs, a camera, coffee machine, kettle, wine, jewellery, perfumes and make-up were some of the items stolen.
Neighbours told the employer they saw an old white bakkie parked on the pavement during the day “but didn’t pay much attention to it”.
“I was also told they heard screaming,” added the employer.
Capt Jethro Mtshali, spokesperson for Kempton Park SAPS, said: “At the moment the police can’t establish what the cause of death was.”
There was no forced entry into the premises.
“We are hurt and shaken by this, but we also want to warn people to be extra vigilant at all times.”
Police appeal to anyone with information to contact 08600 10111 or send a message to the crime line number 32211.
