Image: TimesLIVE YouTube via Melissa-Leigh Lee
A dispute over a parking space has led to a police investigation after a landlord allegedly threatened his tenant with an axe.
Durban resident Tamsyn Lee, 27, said she was living in fear after her agitated landlord, Pooran Makhan, banged on her security gate with an axe, swore at her and allegedly smashed her flower pots.
Video footage of the incident, shot by Lee, went viral after being posted to Facebook by her mother. In the footage the landlord strikes a security gate that separates the arguing parties.
‘I was horrified when he showed up with an axe’ - single mom speaks out A Durban woman is living in fear after she was threatened by her axe-wielding landlord.
In one clip he is heard to say: "You're a f***ing bitch. Take your car out of here or I will push it into the f***ing drain."
Lee said she was afraid to return to her rented property, recalling how Makhan came down the driveway to her Tinley Manor home, axe in hand. She locked her gate, fearing the worst.
Makhan had intervened in a dispute between Lee and another tenant over the use of an undercover parking place.
Lee said that while she had made peace with the other tenant she still feared for her life after Makhan allegedly threatened her.
Attempts to get comment from Makhan were unsuccessful. He did not answer his phone or return text messages yesterday. A woman who answered a call to his registered landline said he had fallen ill.
The woman, who would not identify herself and hung up several times, said the landlord was ill, that he had kidney problems and had gone to see a physician.
"He has gone to the doctor. See here ... he is sick. Don't harass me.
"You must speak to my attorney and you can also f**k off," she said, before ending the call.
Police confirmed that Lee had laid charges of malicious damage to property and crimen injuria.
Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said the case had been registered at the Umhlali police station but that no arrests had been made.
Lee's father, Timothy Lee, said that the landlord had promised another tenant the undercover parking space but he had neglected to discuss the development with his daughter.
"My daughter parked the other tenant in because she wanted to have a discussion with him and then this all played out at 6.30am.
"We went to the police and laid a charge. They said that they could only pursue a case of malicious damage to property for breaking her flower pots," he said.
Said Lee: "It was absolutely terrifying and my daughter is completely traumatised.
"I was there for only three months and now I don't feel comfortable staying there any more. So we are looking to move out.
"I am a single mother and money will be a consideration. We are hoping to have a resolution through the police," she said.