The Sunday News
Amanda Ncube, Sunday News Reporter
A 60-YEAR-OLD man from Habane Township in Esigodini, Matabeleland South allegedly made a concoction of petrol and alcohol before forcing a neighbour’s four-year-old child to drink it.
The matter came to light when the four-year-old was taken to Esigodini District Hospital after he started acting like he was possessed while his body was swelling. In an interview with Sunday News, the child’s grandmother, Mrs Sibongile Ncube said they were disappointed by what their neighbour allegedly did.
“It is painful because he is an old man whom we thought will help our children. He moved here last year and we welcomed him with open arms and now he is trying to kill our children,” she said.
“We took my grandson to hospital on Sunday when he fell sick as we noticed that his body was swelling before he collapsed.
When we arrived at the hospital the doctors injected him with an anaesthetic but he could not sleep,” she said.
Mrs Ncube said the doctors said the child’s body had alcohol and petrol.
“We asked him where he got alcohol from and that was when he told us that the neighbour gave them that concontion to drink. When we asked him why he was giving them alcohol he said they were drinking on their own and he had not forced the kid,” she said.
It is alleged that ever since the man came to the area, there have been a number of incidents involving children drinking beer at his house.
“At first we didn’t believe the child who told us that he gives them alcohol to drink but now we have realised that it can’t be lies because more than five children have been saying he is giving them alcohol,” said one of the residents.
Efforts to speak to the neighbour were fruitless as he was said to have fled the area. Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said they have not received such a report.
