Mother of six 'shocked' to death after getting BCC bill

BULAWAYO - A woman from Pumula South suburb collapsed and later died in hospital after receiving a notice of intention to attach her property from the city council of unpaid bill of $306.

Her irate family is now accusing the local authority of causing the death of their mother.

57-year old Patricia Mpofu, a mother of six died on the Monday last week at Mpilo Central Hospital after officials handed her a notice to attach her prized four-piece sofa set, four plate stove and a steel kitchen cabinet.

Mpofu's daughter Siboneni said her mother was deeply stressed by the notice and could not come to terms with losing her property to Bulawayo City Council (BCC).

Siboneni said after receiving the notice on August 13, 2014, her mother went to BCC offices to try and negotiate the payment plan but the authorities insisted they will attach her property, a situation which caused her health to deteriorate from then.

Bulawayo Mayor Thaba Moyo could not be reached for comment at the time of going to Press while area councillor Siboniso Khumalo said she was not aware of the incident.

The local authority resorted attaching property after a Bulawayo High Court ruled against water disconnections but the Municipality has been widely criticized for attaching property worth more than the debt before of auctioning it for a song.