Protest over ‘killer’ tenant

FOR NEARLY a week, a Bramfischerville landlord lay in a shallow grave in his own backyard while his family desperately searched for him.

But just four days after Henry Kolobe went missing, his tenant was arrested after he allegedly threatened to murder his girlfriend if she told anyone about his role in the landlord’s disappearance.

The woman is now understood to be in witness protection.

The Bramfischerville community is now calling for justice after the man was arrested last month, after apparently killing his landlord over a suspected rental dispute.

Kolobe, 58, was found buried in a shallow grave outside his home four days after he went missing.

According to neighbours, Kolobe appeared to have been hacked to death, dumped in a rubbish bin and buried in the early hours of December 17.

The man, who cannot be named because he might still be charged for a sexual offence relating to the incident, appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

According to the charge sheet, a rape charge was also being investigated, though there were no further details except that the related crime allegedly happened on the day of the murder.

ANC supporters protested outside the court yesterday, urging the court not to grant him bail.

The group’s leader, John Mosepele, described the murder as unnecessary and brutal.

“On December 16, this guy had not paid his December rent, so Henry kept asking him when he would be paying. On the very same day, he (the suspect) threw a party at the property.

“Henry asked him why he was throwing parties when he hadn’t paid his rent. Later that evening, he called the landlord, asking him to come get the money,” he said.

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, alleged that this was when Kolobe was “butchered”.

Kolobe’s sister, Maphefo Mogale, said she last saw her brother at a relative’s funeral. They arranged to meet on December 17 in Rustenburg at a property he had recently purchased.

Family and friends started to worry when he did not arrive.

“I was surprised when his friends pitched without him, even though we thought they were going to give him a lift.

“That’s when I started to worry. We tried calling him the whole day but he was not answering his phone,” said Mogale.