A house belonging to a woman who was involved in administrating a stokvel operated on WhatsApp, was partially burned on Saturday evening.
It’s alleged that angry investors, who were demanding that their investments be paid back, stormed Dudu Mabuza’s house at around 19:00.
No one was at home when the incident happened. No injuries were reported.
The house, which has not been complete, is situated at Dingindvodza Section in Emjindini.
According to neighbours, a group of about 50 people assembled in the street.
“They forced us to get inside our homes so that we could’nt identify them. But we refused since we were scared that our houses might also be affected with the electricity cables since the electricity connections to our houses come from the same pole as that of the house they were targeting,” said a neighbour, who didn’t want to be named.
She said the owner of the house had moved most of her furniture and not much damage was caused.
According to neighbours, they were all surprised when they saw Mabuza building the huge house.
“She was still building it and was in the process of completing the roof. No offence to security guards, but this lady works as a security officer and everyone knows that they are not that well paid. So we were surprised when we saw her starting to build such a nice house.
“We all asked ourselves where she got the money to build it.”
She said their suspicions were confirmed when they heard rumours that she was also involved in the shady stokvel.
“She now fears for her life. She has disappeared. No one knows where she stays. The people who lost their money have threatened to take her life.
For her safety, she had to leave Barberton, otherwise we will soon bury her,” said the neighbour. The incident was the second of its kind in Emjindini in less than two weeks.
On June 19, residents surrounded a house of another young woman involved in a stokvel scheme at Extension 14 and threatened to burn it.
Police had to use rubber bullets to disperse the angry people.
On Monday Mabuza told Barberton Times there was no one at home when they attacked her house as she was at work and her children had visited their grandparents.
“I’m just an administrator in this stokvel and I was recruiting people only. I have not taken money from anyone,” she said.
Mabuza said she was now living in fear.
