KZN Woman Lives in Fear After Ex-boyfriend Burns Down House Killing Her 7-Year-Old Nephew: "I Can't Sleep"
When Phumzile Khoza finally decided to leave an abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend, she had no idea that her life would be turned upside down and she would lose everything. Phumzile's seven-year-old nephew died, her nine-year-old daughter is in critical condition, and the single mom lost her home.
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Source: UGC
In May 2022, Phumzile Khoza, a single mother of three from Sundumbili in KwaZulu-Natal, broke up with her ex-lover of four years because she could no longer stand being in an abusive relationship with him.
Phumzile Khoza's ex-boyfriend harasses her because she ended their relationship
Soon after the breakup, her ex-boyfriend, a foreign national from Eswatini, began sending threatening messages to her and her friends. Phumzile tells Briefly News that her ex threatened to kill her because she was no longer in love with him.
"He was busy calling my friends and telling them that he was going to kill me because I don't love him anymore," said Phumzile.
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Phumzile stated that the harassment was so severe that one day as she was heading home after church, he robbed her and made off with her belongings. Phumzile reported the incident to the police, but that did not stop the ex-boyfriend from continuing with the harassment.
Phumzile dealt with the harassment for months, and little was being done for her safety. The Sundumbili Police Station did not take her concerns seriously until she approached the KwaDukuza Magistrate Court through the Family Law Court division to get a protection order.
The protection order was granted on 19 November 2022 and delivered to her ex, who signed the court papers. However, Phumzile did not realise that the true nightmare was about to begin.
Phumzile Khoza's ex-boyfriend tries to kill her and her family
Phumzile thought her life would be easier after the court granted her the much-needed protection order. However, on 20 November, Phumzile's ex followed through with his threats.
The single mother says she was sleeping in her room with her three children and sister's son. While they were sound asleep, Phumzile's ex-boyfriend used locks on the doors to ensure they could not escape his sinister plan.
He pried a window open, poured petrol through it, and set the house on fire. Phumzile woke to her home on fire and tried to wake up the kids who were already burning.
They tried to escape but realised that the doors were locked from the outside, so they escaped the fire through one of the windows. Phumzile says they tried to call out for help, but her neighbours were fast asleep since the incident happened just after midnight.
Emergency services fail Phumzile Khoza and her family
After fleeing from the burning house, Phumzile called an ambulance to assist her and the children since some were severely injured, but it never showed up. Luckily, two women went to Phumzile's house in the early morning and transported the family to a local clinic.
In an emotional state, Phumzile said when they arrived at the clinic, the doctors told her that they could not do anything for seven-year-old nephew Bayanda Ngiba because 95% of his body was burnt.
"We prayed. We tried. The only thing he could do was say he needs water until he died in my hands," said an emotional Phumzile.
Source: UGC
Phumzile's nine-year-old daughter Selusiwe Zulu was severely injured in the fire and is still in critical condition at the Albert Sisulu hospital. Her other children, Owethu Zulu, 15, and Ntombifuthi Khoza, 6, escaped the traumatising ordeal with minor injuries.
Phumzile Khoza says her ex-boyfriend confessed to burning her house down
The single mom of three stated that her ex-boyfriend continued to threaten her life after his failed attempt to murder her and her family. She said that he confessed to the police that he set the house alight but refused to hand himself in.
"He told the police that 'I'm the one who burned the house but I won't come to the police until March because the letter that you gave me said March'.
"He was talking about the protection order the police gave him before he came and burned my house," explained Phumzile.
Per the protection order, Phumzile's ex is expected to appear at the KwaDukuza Magistrate Court on 16 March 2023.
Phumzile Khoza narrates how she lost everything
Phumzile lost everything she had worked for when her three-bedroom house burned down. She explained that all her furniture, clothes and belongings were lost in the fire.
Phumzile cannot return to the house for her safety, and it is no longer livable. She worries about what will happen to her daughter, Selusiwe, when she is discharged from the hospital because they no longer have a home.
Source: UGC
The single mother says she approached the municipality for assistance but was told she needed to wait, which was not a good enough response because she had nowhere to go.
"How long must I wait? Because in January schools are opening and I don't have a place to stay with my kids. I don't have anyone. I am the mother and the father to these children," said a frustrated Phumzile.
She sent her two children to live with relatives while she hides out because her ex-boyfriend is still deadset on ending her life. Phumzile added that she would rather be separated from her children because her life is in danger, and she does not want to cause them more harm.
Phumzile Khoza feels the police are not doing enough to protect her and her family
A distraught Phumzile feels the police should do more to ensure her family's safety. A month after the incident, the police have still not captured the perpetrator.
"I feel that they are not doing enough. I am not happy with the way they [the police] are handling the situation. This thing happened on the 20th of November. One month later and there is nothing.
"The police call this man and he picks up they phone, why can't they just track his phone number. I don't know. They are not helping me," said a frustrated Phumzile.
Phumzile added that with the way the police are delaying the investigation, she asked one female cop if they were waiting for her ex-boyfriend to kill her first. The single mom added that she feels the police are being reckless with her life.
Phumzile said about two weeks ago, police officers asked to go to her ex-boyfriend's workplace to see if he was there. When they got to the location, they made her walk by herself while they stayed in the vehicle.
"I was walking alone. What if this man came and killed me? And I did report that I am not happy with how they are handling this matter."
They are not taking this serious. This is a serious matter. My house has been burnt. I don't have anything." she said.
Phumzile Khoza is desperate for help
The heartbroken mom says she and her children have not received any help from the government. They have not been able to process the trauma because they do not have access to counselling services.
"I can't even sleep. I can't think about this thing. To think about my future, to think about how many years I've spent in this house," Phumzile said before breaking down.
The single mom says no one is taking her situation seriously, and she won't be able to spend Christmas with her children. She explained that she could deal with the situation she is in if she had a house, but she is still waiting for the RDP house that was promised by the municipality.
She only received a blanket and food vouchers from the municipality so far, as she lost R15 000 worth of Shoprite voucher stamps. Phumzile pleads that anyone willing to lend a helping hand to the family contacts her at 076 997 6511 or 074 077 0088.
According to North Coast Courier, the police are investigating a case of arson and attempted murder.
Briefly News contacted the police about the progress in the investigation and did not receive a response at the time of publishing. This is a developing story.
Brave guy stands up to GBV after hearing neighbour attack his partner
Briefly News reported that a young man recently shared with the Facebook group ImStaying how he managed to stop an abusive man from inflicting further harm on his girlfriend by going over to their apartment and threatening the man who was hitting the woman.
"Imagine it's 3:10 AM and the guy upstairs who has a flat on top of mine is beating the hell out of his girlfriend. They are so loud and the noise is so ridiculous, the crying, floor banging and banging of the bed and stuff breaking woke me up.
"I put on my track-pants and went and knocked on their door. I was hurt not only by gender-based violence but also by the fact that they woke me from my sleep."
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Source: Briefly News
