Siyavuya Mzantsi
“I WANT them in a room, so that I can kick them and make them bleed because of what they put me and my children through. They came to my house, invaded my space and I had to be like a puppy because my children’s lives were at stake.”
This is according to a Rondebosch East mother and businesswoman, Nuraan Desai, 39, who with her four children aged 19, eight, three and two, and two domestic workers, were held at gunpoint by three men and a woman yesterday.
The assailants had posed as prospective business partners.
A teary Desai said a couple had approached her a month ago wanting to do business with her.
She knew the man only as Raymond. Desai was coy about her business, saying only that it was a networking business.
Yesterday, they arrived at the house, forced their way in, held the family at gunpoint, ransacked the house and made off with cash, jewellery and electronic equipment.
“How they knew me, I don’t know. I spoke with them through the safety door and they said they wanted to speak to me about my business. I allowed him in my house and I did not ask too many questions,” she said.
Desai said the pair promised to come back to open an account with her. She received a phone call from Raymond’s wife yesterday morning, saying they were ready to open it.
“I was in Wynberg and I told them I was going to be at home soon. I did not speak to Raymond, I spoke to his wife. I came back without telling my domestic worker that they would be coming. I went to bath my daughter.”
When she heard everyone in the house screaming, she said she knew that we were being robbed.
“They pushed everyone down the passage. Only after they came into my room with guns, I saw that these guys played us. They were demanding money and drugs. I told them we were not doing drugs. He said I should take him to my safe. I said I did not have a safe. He said he was going to kill my children,” said Desai.
She had her baby with her, and the domestic workers and the other three children were being held at gunpoint in another room.
“The other guy took me to my room at gunpoint. He demanded my safe. I had to oblige. The woman was taking anything she could from the house. I gave him money in the safe,” she said.
The ordeal ended when the four left the house with their cash, jewellery and electronics. Desai said she called her family and the police.
Police spokesperson André Traut confirmed the incident, which is under police investigation. No one has been arrested.