A WOMAN has been left homeless after her boyfriend of nine years set her five-roomed shack alight on Sunday morning, 20 November.
The fire also spread and burnt her brother's shack, next to hers.
The 32-year-old Nontsikelelo Mabutyana from Gugulethu, Cape Town, said she had an argument with her boyfriend early on Sunday morning.
She locked him out because he was angry and drunk, and she feared for her life.
When her boyfriend broke into the shack through the roof, Ntsikelelo ran to the neighbour's house.
While she was next door, the boyfriend demanded that she come back and talk to him because he wanted to pack his things and leave.
"I refused but the next thing I saw my shack on fire," said Nontsikelelo.
"I think he used the paraffin from the stove because it burnt so fast."
Nontsikelelo said he had already beaten her up but she didn't think he would destroy her shack.
City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Jermaine Carelse said they were alerted at about 3.40am of informal structures burning in the Europa squatter camp in Gugulethu on Sunday.
"Crews from Gugulethu arrived at the scene to find two informal structures on fire and managed to contain and extinguish the blaze by 4.14am.
"Four persons were displaced and no injuries were reported," he said.
Police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk said an arson case was opened.
"A case of arson was registered at Gugulethu SAPS for investigation, which is continuing," he said.
