DURBAN - A PINETOWN family are living in fear after their address and pictures of their home were shared on social media stating that Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo lived there.
The Constitutional Court found former president Jacob Zuma guilty of being in contempt of court and sentenced him to 15 months’ imprisonment for not appearing at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture headed by Justice Zondo.
Messages began circulating on Saturday night that Justice Zondo’s house was in Burdhurst and another message said it was in Burdhurst in Cowies Hill Park, Pinetown.
One tweet said his home was attacked; another depicted a map with directions to the house.
Another had an aerial view of the house with the words “Zondo’s house in Hillcrest”. The actual home owner Hoosen Chohan said he was fearful when he saw a message with an illustration of a smoking petrol bomb with his address and the words “ngase spar service centre Angazi noma niyangizwa yini” (the address is “near a spar service centre. I don’t know if you understand me”).
Chohan said police patrols parked outside his home twice after 9.30pm on Saturday. He found it strange. Chohan does not have a Twitter or Facebook account.
“Neighbours complained that a group of people surrounded my house. I only became aware of what was happening when my local WhatsApp chat groups began sharing the posts about my home. I went on to social media platforms and asked them to remove the posts. Justice Zondo does not live at the address. I am not sure why my home was targeted? My wife and children are concerned. We have not slept since and every sound we hear scares us. We are monitoring our CCTV cameras,” Chohan said.
“I am not sure whether to remove the house number from the wall. But in an emergency will the police find the house? If I put up a notice on my gate it will attract attention. It is having an adverse reaction. The neighbourhood watch groups are also on high alert. I was offered to live at a neighbour’s home in the interim. I cannot leave my house unattended. I hope it blows over,” Chohan said.
Chohan said one of the residents got the title deed history of his premises to prove that Justice Zondo never lived there.
Police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili warned those circulating inflammatory messages inciting violence and lawlessness to refrain from doing so. “The possibility of criminal charges being instituted against such persons cannot be ruled out, particularly in the event of injury or death that may come as a result …”
Daily News