Woman scalds landlady with boiling water in 'love wrangle'

A Bulawayo woman recently scalded her landlady with boiling water in a suspected love triangle.

Residents alleged the two had a fallout over an unnamed man, while the victim, Ms Lorraine Dlamini (24) from Pumula East maintains she still does not know why Ms Rhoda Roselyne Sibanda (26), popularly known as NaFaith, attacked her on Wednesday morning.

Ms Dlamini told The Chronicle yesterday that she was failing to come to terms with Sibanda's "unprovoked attack," which left her body scarred for life.

"She is my tenant and on Wednesday while we were trying to paint the house, she came to me and said she could spill hot water on me. I took it lightly and she took boiling water which was in the kitchen and poured it over my body," said Ms Dlamini struggling to open her mouth.

"In shock I ran away from her and she followed and assaulted me. She went on to beat me with a wooden stick until it broke into pieces and I screamed for help."

She said she was hurried to hospital where she was treated for second degree burns.  "She is on remand and I'm yet to establish why she did this to me."

Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that Sibanda had scalded Dlamini over her man that the latter was secretly seeing.

"The real issue was about Sibanda's guy that Dlamini was allegedly seeing behind her back. Sibanda got wind of the matter and poured water over Dlamini last week," said a source.

"We were told that the two were playing and none of the family members are willing to disclose what really happened."

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed that they received a physical abuse report last week.  "The two were staying together as tenant and landlady in the same house in Pumula. We were told that they were playing when Sibanda poured boiling water over Lorraine's body who in turn sustained serious burns from her face to her chest," said Insp Simango.

"Upon interviews, Sibanda said she did not know what came over her when she poured water on Dlamini. The matter has been taken to court."