DURBAN - Inanda granny Sibongile Mtambo feels betrayed after Durban’s Isidingo Security Services allegedly failed to repair damage caused by one of its cars which drove into her bedroom in November.
However, operations manager Eric Mkhize disputed this, saying her son, Sipho Mtambo, threatened them and refused to co-operate.
“No one was threatened, why would anyone threaten them? I’ve been liaising with Mkhize since the accident and at first he promised that they would fix the damage, but later he said their insurance company would take care of it. But I see they never planned on doing it,” Mtambo told the Sunday Tribune.
The 65-year-old has lived in the area since 1981, first in a shack and later she and her late husband, Moses Mtambo, built the four-roomed house before his death in 2003. She lives with her four grandchildren, the oldest being 17 years old.
Granny Mtambo was in her bedroom when the Isidingo bakkie veered off Mvelani Road and crashed into the room where her four grandchildren were asleep at about 4am.
It was not clear what caused the vehicle to lose control as it was going uphill on a straight, tarred road but there were suspicions that the driver might have been speeding.
“I was woken by a loud bang and screams. When I rushed over to see what was happening I was shocked to see a car lying less than a metre from their bed. Its lights were still on but I didn’t check on the driver. I just grabbed the children and we ran outside.”
The accident damaged one of the corners of the house which compromised the asbestos roof, and Mtambo has had to put up a sturdy pole to prevent it from collapsing. Two wardrobes, a television and a bed were also crushed.
“If I had money I would have fixed my house because the floor turns into a small river whenever it rains. My grandkids constantly have flu because we can’t keep out the cold winter air because of the gap in the wall. We are suffering. Yet Mkhize claims we don’t want to co-operate.”
She said she was scared of dying and leaving her young grandchildren in a house that could collapse on them.
“It’s only a matter of time before I go. Sipho doesn’t live here so they would be on their own if this house collapsed.”
Mkhize said immediately after the accident Isidingo told Sipho that the company was comprehensively insured and required a written quotation for repairs. He failed to provide it and later “refused to co-operate with us, rather threatening to assault us”.
He said Isidingo regretted the inconvenience and was willing to attend to the damage.
“I’ve repeatedly told Mkhize we want the house fixed but they are blaming the delays on us. I’m old and can’t go around looking for builders or someone to calculate the estimates. Isidingo should send someone to do that,” said Mtambo.