Katlehong homeless family’s nightmare ordeal

Masilo Mazibuko (57) and his family were left with nothing last year after angry community members burnt down their home, located at 7526 Motloung Section in Katlehong.

This was after Mazibuko was wrongly accused of the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl who was found dead close to his house.

Mazibuko and his two sons, Karabo (17) and Lerato (28), and two daughters, Refiloe (35) and Ntswaki Hlahatsi (23), were left homeless for nine months. They fled to Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, fearing for their lives.

Mazibuko explains what transpired

He said on August 13 they woke up to the news of the child’s body being found.

“I woke up with a man shouting my name. He asked if he can get into my yard to access the area where the body was apparently seen.”

He said they found the body and waited at home for the police.

“The police searched my premises, but they found no foul play on my part.

“At the same time, a crowd had gathered demanding the police take a DNA test from me.”

Mazibuko said he and other occupants of the house went to the police station, while accompanied by the community.

“The police told them I am not a suspect because the body was not found in my house. A DNA test is also expensive,” Mazibuko said.

According to Mazibuko, the police said they could only run the test for free if he was a suspect.

He said he wanted to do the DNA test to clear his name and prove his innocence to the community. The police kept him at the police station overnight for his own safety. It was at this time his home was burnt to the ground.

He said they returned to Alberton in January after laying low for months in Pretoria.

“We were forced to live under horrible, unsafe and unconformable conditions in a bush.”

They survive cold nights by making a fire and rainy days and nights by sleeping under a bridge with blankets.
After a month of living in such a hell, Mazibuko suggested the children return to the township to live with relatives.

He is caught between a rock and a hard place in relation to returning to the community, not knowing if he will be welcomed back.

Community members’ views

Kathorus MAIL visited Mazibuko’s home in Katlehong. We found everything burnt to ashes. The house is damaged and the doors and window frames have been stolen.

Neighbours refused to comment, stating they did not see anything on the night of the fire, while others said they were not home when the incident occurred.

Two men, *Albert and *Sizwe, agreed to speak to Kathorus MAIL on the grounds of anonymity.

The men, who live in same street as Mazibuko, said they witnessed the community burning the house.

They said the community is not saying Mazibuko is guilty, adding the people who were involved in burning the house are not from their streets.

Albert said the child who died was a friend of his daughter’s and they usually played together at the park.

“We looked for the girl the whole night after she disappeared. The following day we heard a girl was found dead,” said Albert.

He said the community is still angry because no one was arrested.

Sizwe said Mazibuko must not attempt to return to Motloung because the community will kill him. The two described Mazibuko as a loner who did not get along with anyone in the community.

“I remember we once had a challenge with electricity, so we asked every household to contribute towards fixing the electricity issue.

“Mazibuko refused to pay. We had to force his tenants to pay.”

Mazibuko said the community had challenges with electricity.

“I suspected something was wrong because we always gave money to fix the problem but they would come back to ask for more.

“Once I was asked to help collect R25 from every house as we needed R1 000 to pay the technician. I collected R150.

“They suggested we borrow money from a tuck-shop owner who only agreed to give us the money on conditions he will hold me responsible for paying it back.

“The shop owner said I was the only person he knew who supported the shop in the community.”

Mazibuko said once the electricity was restored, the community did not help to pay back the loan. He had to do so out of his pocket.

He was at the time self-employed as a gardener, builder, welder and tiler. He also relied on rent money from his 10 tenants.

He said most people in the community did not like him because he did not have a wife and did not attend their events and ceremonies.

“Most people in the community are young. I don’t know most of them, I know their parents and grandparents. They hate me because I lived in this big house with my children and I am always home, so they don’t know what I do for a living,” he said.

The story behind the story

Mazibuko believes he was framed.

He said it started in October 2019 when two boys who called themselves ‘inkabi’ assaulted him. He said he was working in his garden and fixing the fence when two boys approached him and started assaulting him with a metal rod.

He said the boys are the brothers of the girl who was murdered.

He believes they were sent by their mother who was flirting with him but failed to get his attention.

Mazibuko said the lady wanted to become his partner and that she usually sent her child to bring him food. Mazibuko would then feed the food to his dog, citing he did not know what was in the food.

“I opened a case against the boys, who were released on bail,” he said.

“The case went on for a year. By this time the magistrate thought the boys would have realised they had done wrong and would apologise to me. They refused to state I deserve an apology.

“The magistrate said if that is the case they will each be convicted for five years. Their state lawyer told me when he questioned the pair on why they assaulted me, they said I provoked their mother.”

Mazibuko said their lawyer approached him again, citing his clients wanted to settle outside of court.

“I agreed and demanded R20 000 to drop the case. They agreed to pay the money. Another year passed without receiving any payment from them,” said Mazibuko.

“The magistrate advised me to reopen the case should they not pay me. This is when the little girl was found and my house burnt down. I believe they influenced the community. I was the scapegoat.”

Officials’ comment

Katlehong SAPS media liaison officer Capt Lesetja Mathobela said these are two separate cases.

He confirmed the case of rape and murder of the girl was reported to Katlehong North SAPS, but the culprit was never found.

“The four suspects who were arrested were released because there was no evidence linking them to the crime. The police ran DNA tests on three suspects and none of them matched the evidence,” said Mathobela.

“The fourth person, Mazibuko, was not a suspect,” he added.

Mathobela said investigations continue.

“The case of malicious damage to the property of Mazibuko is a separate case. The case was closed because police could not find individuals responsible for setting the house on fire as it was an act of the community,” said Mathobela.

The Mazibuko family needs your help

The family is pleading for food, clothes and blankets or any form of donation communities can assist with, including building material to rebuild their home.

To make donations contact Joyce Cele on 063 078 7051 or Karabo on 065 512 3087.

Mazibuko does not own a cellphone and makes a living as a car guard at a shop in Alberton.

Banking details

Account: Masilo Leonard Mazibuko

Account number: 510 253 4329

Branch code: 078 910

Name of bank: Tyme Bank