ON SATURDAY morning Francis Rutthan (58) stopped a fight between her son and another man, but that was only the beginning of her problems.
After she broke up the fight, her son, told her that he owed the man R20 and said she must give him the money.
When Francis told him she didn’t have any money, he allegedly became angry and threatened her with a knife, and also told her she would suffer.
Francis decided to stay away from her house in Lotus Gardens, Tshwane and visit a friend in the hope that her son would calm down.
But later that afternoon she found her house in ruins. It had been burnt down.
Francis claimed: “My evil son is behind the act.
“He said he would kill me and burn down the house, but I never thought he would actually do it.
“I was at my friend’s place when I saw a dark cloud of smoke coming from my house.
“That’s when I knew he had fulfilled his mission.”
Neighbours have donated blankets and clothes and a place to sleep, but Francis is pleading with SunReaders to help her rebuild her house.
“I am a pensioner, I lost the little that I had. I don’t even have clothes,” she said.
Her son denied having burnt down the house.
He told police that protesters were responsible for the fire.
Vasi Naidu of the community policing forum of Tshwane West said Francis should open a case.
“The man must see it is useless for him to burn his mother’s property,” he said.
“I’m hoping the community will donate something to help Francis.”
