Man, wife abuse elderly mother

IN a case that has left residents utterly dismayed, a Mpopoma man and his wife are alleged to have been abusing his elderly mother to an extent that she ran away and sought refuge in a filthy swampy area at Mpopoma Recreational Park.

Radio Dialogue has been inundated with telephone calls from residents in the suburb, complaining about Ncube's appalling behaviour towards his mother.

One of the residents, Noma Moyo, saw Sarah Ndebele, who is in her eighties at the swampy area of Mpopoma park and quizzed her why she was there.

"In response, MaNdebele screamed she was better off living in filth or bitten by a snake in the bush rather than go back to her son and daughter in law. Ndlovu narrated how her son and daughter in law did not want her at their house, as they denied her food. She cried that she was better off dead," Moyo said.

A visit to Block 21/669 Mpopoma by a Radio Dialogue news crew indicated there was hardly any happiness in the family.

Ncube and his wife, Machama, denied they ill-treated his mother saying such reports were false as they had been living together "happily" for the past 20 years.

"There is no reason why I should fail to take care of her now," Ncube insisted.

However, the news crew noticed MaNdebele, back from the swamps, drinking tea served in a rusty metal kango cup and two dry slices of bread.

Then Ncube suddenly burst out, claiming his mother was a pain and no one could live with her.

"Usalukazi lo uyahlupha, umuntu omdala oziphambanisa ingqondo, bonke abafowethu bakuxotshela ukuthi uyahlupha. (This old woman is a problem, a confused elderly person, all my brothers have sent you away because you are a problem).

Upon hearing those words, MaNdebele cried, swore at Ncube and his wife that they will never find peace for abusing her.

Ncube retaliated by shouting at the top of his voice and also threatened to "deal" with his neighbours who had informed the media, calling them "rumour mongers."

He also claimed he worked for a minister (name withheld) and would take the issue to a higher level.

Nevertheless, neighbours said MaNdebele depended on them for food since she was unfed at home.

"Ncube and his wife will make her go to the fields without any food resulting in her asking from us," they concurred.

In an interesting twist to the story, it emerged that Ncube was having an affair and in frustration his wife, Machama, would vent her anger on her mother in law.

Machama confided in the news crew that her husband was having an extra marital affair with a lady called Patience Shewa and because of the infidelity she would turn against MaNdebele.

Machama even showed the news crew a WhatsApp message she had been sent by the said girlfriend.

She also disclosed her husband and his mother were not in good books.

Hours later, when the news crew visited the house again in the company of senior residents of the community who wanted to know what was happening in that household, MaNdebele's tea and two dry slices of bread were besides her untouched.

Chairman of Mpopoma and Matshobana Residents Association, a Gasela, asked Ncube if was able to take care of his mother.

Ncube said he could but just needed assistance in acquiring a birth certificate for his mother.

Councillor of Mpopoma and Matshobana, Charles Ndlovu, also present, emphasised the importance of families living in harmony with each other, of which, Sibusisiwe Hadebe, a neighbour, touched by MaNdebele's treatment volunteered to monitor the situation.

Gasela requested Machama to allow Hadebe to check on MaNdebele anytime.

Ndlovu noted Mpopoma, like most older suburbs in the city is generally resident to elder citizens and their welfare has been compromised by the harsh economy.

"This is worsened by the absence of an Elderly People's Social Security and Welfare Grant. Such cases may be prevalent elsewhere as social systems get affected by the socio-economic imbalance," he said.