IT WAS just an ordinary trip to the spaza shop to buy airtime – but it probably saved Thulani Zulu’s life!
Last week, Thulani (59) who lives on a plot in Randridge in Randfontein, went to the spaza shop to buy R10 airtime to phone his wife and when he came back, his shack was on fire.
He suspects the fire might have been caused by his employer.
He suspects the fire might have been caused by his employer.
“I went to the tuck shop to buy airtime and when I came back I saw flames coming from my shack. I ran and opened the gate.”
He said the smoke was dense.
“I tried to save some of my stuff,” he said.
“I navigated through the smoke with a bucket of water, pouring water on the fire.”
After he extinguished the fire, he called the police.“As I waited for the police I heard a sound. When I checked I saw someone with a huge jacket. Because it was dark, I decided to wait for them to get closer,” he said
He said as the man came closer, he shined a torch in his face. He said he saw it was his employer, allegedly carrying a two-litre bottle with petrol.
“I told him the police were on the way and asked him about the petrol. He threw the bottle away and fled,” said Thulani.
Thulani alleged the problems started when he demanded the R27 000 his boss owed him.
He said he had been hired to look after the plot, and would receive R1 500 monthly.
“He told me he will pay me but asked that I should give him a chance to help his children,” said Thulani.
But when it became time to pay things went bad and the boss allegedly pointed a firearm at him. Thulani has since opened a case and the man has been on the run.
Sergeant Carmen Hendricks confirmed that a case of malicious damage to property has been registered and no arrest has been made so far.
“The case is still under investigation,” said Hendricks.