AN argument between a couple has robbed a young woman of her youth.
Olwethu Nkonyeni (18) from Ezingolweni in Port Shepstone KZN argued with her boyfriend.
Things turned ugly as the boyfriend got so angry that he allegedly beat her before burning her at his place on Wednesday, 19 April.
With her body wrapped in bandages, Olwethu can't speak or do anything for herself due to her condition.
Her sister Sphumlile Nkonyeni (29), told Daily Sun that she was heartbroken.
"This was the worse thing this man did to my sister. He has beaten her on several occasions. Last time, he beat her at a shopping centre in full view of people.
"She was helped by our neighbour, who was also at the centre. Since then, I've never approved of their relationship, and I disliked him for beating my sister. So this is the worst. I don't even know when they started dating," she said.
Sphumlile said on the day of the incident, the boyfriend had fetched Olwethu from her rented rooms where she currently stays so that she could be closer to her school.
"They went to the boyfriend's place, where they sat and had drinks with the boyfriend's friend. The boyfriend went to buy more alcohol.
"When he returned, the electricity was gone due to load shedding. He came to find that Olwethu had given the friend a torch. He shouted at her, and that was when the chaos began," she said.
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She said he took Olwethu to a room where he beat her several times.
Olwethu tried to escape, but she couldn't as he overpowered her.
"He took petrol and asked Olwethu to pour it on herself. He then lit the fire and burnt her. He watched her burning until he realised that the fire was spreading to other things in the room, and then he opened the door. Olwethu ran out and managed to put out the fire with water. She begged him to take her to the hospital, and he did," she said.
The boyfriend allegedly asked Olwethu to lie to the nurses about what had happened.
"When they got to the hospital, Olwethu lied while he was in front of her. But when he left, she told the truth about who burnt her and why. He was later caught and arrested," Sphumlile said.
The KZN cops spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Ezinqoleni police are investigating a case of attempted murder.
The suspect appeared at the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 25 April.
The matter was postponed to 2 May for a bail application decision.
