Betrayed by his customers, Etete’s ‘Bala’ speaks on pillaging of home and liquor store

A 79-year-old man is traumatised and heartbroken after a mob of close to 600 people looted his bottle store and house in Etete last Monday.

Balakrifhan Naidoo, known as Bala or Mfana Omdala, has been a resident of Etete for 60 years.

But that did not stop his neighbours from taking away his business and home.

“I heard the noise in the road. I never thought they were going to come to my shop or my house. To my surprise, they threw a burning tyre into the front door and got inside. They took everything,” said Naidoo.

Rioters entered his house and turned it upside down.

They stole furniture and even his clothes.

Naidoo had locked himself and his wife in a room and terrified, he called the police.

“While inside the house and at the bottle store, they started fighting with each other and assaulting each other with bottles. It is sad because it was the people who always buy alcohol from me. I thought I had a good relationship with the community. Not in my wildest dreams did I think they would do such a painful thing to me,” said Naidoo.

Police arrived a while later and rescued him and his wife, but they were overwhelmed by the crowd.

They were only able to evacuate the couple.

“It was heartbreaking to be escorted out of my house and shop, leaving people to get in and do as they please. I have not even got the courage to go back there and check, I am still scared of that place.”