THE ANCESTORS promised Alfred unbelievable riches buried in his yard.
So he started digging for the treasure he believes is still under the ground, just out of reach.
AND TODAY, 10 YEARS LATER, ALFRED IS STILL DIGGING . . . AND DIGGING . . . AND DIGGING.
Even though the 50-year-old Alfred Manamela’s dwelling is now like a little house on a mountain, balancing on the edge of a cliff, he has never given up.
His yard in Phasha section near Klipgat, north of Tshwane is filled with huge craters. The cracked house seems as if it might at any moment fall into the deep trenches surrounding it.
But despite the obvious danger to himself and his neighbours, Alfred just will not stop!
“My riches are all underneath here. I will not stop until I get to them,” he said.
Every day he does the same thing: He wakes up and gets dressed, takes a pick and a shovel and starts digging.
Daily Sun first published Alfred’s story in March 2012 after he had dug through his living room, causing his wife and kids to flee.
Four years later, nothing has changed. Only the holes have grown bigger and Alfred older.
He claims his ancestors spoke to him in a dream in 2006. They told him there was R110 000 buried in the yard, along with valuable old cars and trucks.
Solly Phasha, who owns the plot, said he had tried to talk to Alfred many times, but he simply refuses to listen.
Stubborn Alfred said that if Solly wanted him to stop digging, he first had to give him what he was looking for. “He must leave me alone or give me my treasure.”
Neighbours said they could not believe he was the same man who was once rich and respected in the area. Some of them even complain because their livestock falls into the big, unfenced holes.
“It’s only a matter of time before people kill themselves in those holes,” said a neighbour.
“He is trying to recover the money he misspent, but we know he is only dreaming. There’s nothing in that yard,” she said.
Another neighbour said the cops had spoken to Alfred but even they could not stop him from digging.
Ward councillor Thabo Moabi said they are aware of the situation and the matter has been referred to the relevant department.
