'I thought we would die': Mirriam Ramafola

Former Johannesburg city councillor Mirriam Ramafola and her two children thought they were about to die when a mob of angry residents set their Soweto house on fire.

The group went on the rampage on Tuesday, throwing stones at the house in Tshiawelo, tearing down its fixtures and setting it alight.

"I thought to myself, 'if it's time for me to die, there is nothing I can do'," Ramafola said yesterday. "I was ready to go, with the kids, but God helped us and saved us."

The mob, who were protesting against pre-paid electricity meters, also torched her Toyota.

The attack was caught on camera by an eNews crew.

The mob went to Ramafola's house after they had set alight the house and car of councillor Johannes Nemaungani, also in Tshiawelo.

Ramafola received a call from a friend, warning her that she should immediately take her children and flee.

"I asked her why and she told me that they had already burned down councillor Joe's house and that they were coming for me.

"I picked up the phone and called the police, and as I was putting the phone down, they were already pelting us with stones," she said.

Ramafola's daughter and son, aged eight and 14, were playing TV games at the time.

The mob quickly tore down the front gate.

Ramafola was too scared to go outside, so she and her children hid next to their fridge. Rocks and bricks came hurtling through the windows and could be heard clattering on the roof of the house.

"They pulled down the burglars [bars], but they couldn't see us," Ramafola said. "They were very angry and if they had seen us, I think they would have attacked us."

While the protesters were torching her vehicle, Ramafola and her children sneaked into an outside cottage.

"By the time the police came to rescue us, they had already burned the car."

Ramafola said the electricity problems began in 2007 when Eskom introduced a pilot programme to move residents to a system of pre-paid meters.

Together with Eskom, the council held a presentation to inform residents about the process, but a group of rogue Eskom employees and a contractor allegedly told people that pre-paid meters were expensive and that if they paid a R500 bribe, the employees and contractor could connect them illegally, Ramafola said.

"People stopped buying electricity and Eskom disconnected them. They went and complained to Joe, but he told them he was not around when the meters were installed and that they should come to me."

While previously residents could buy 89 kilowatts of power for R50, the price had almost doubled to R50 for 49kW.

"That's why people are angry," she said.

"Others who used to get free units are not getting them anymore."

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who visited the Ramafolas with National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele and Gauteng co-operative governance MEC Humphrey Mmemezi yesterday, strongly condemned the violence.

"Burning down a house doesn't solve problems; it's not right," he said.

There were avenues whereby residents could raise their concerns.

Mthethwa said he was concerned at the eNews footage as had it zoomed in on the councillor and showed her face, while it filmed only the back of the man who set the vehicle alight.

eNews could not be reached for comment.

Mmemezi said Eskom should come to the party and fix the houses of Ramafola and Nemaungani.

Many other politicians condemned the torching of the homes.

Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said: "Residents are entitled to voice their concerns through peaceful protest. What we saw in Tshiawelo is a clear example of criminal acts."

Mthethwa said six people, including a ringleader, had been arrested and more arrests were imminent.

Eskom spokesman Hilary Joffe could not be reached for comment.