A PENSIONER is homeless after she was kicked out of the house she had been living in for 39 years

Thabitha Kekana, 70, from Sekgakgapeng village near Mahwelereng in Mokopane, Limpopo, got the shock of her life when the sheriff of the court came to her house on Monday and ordered her out.

The house was previously owned by her mother-in-law, Betty Kekana, who died in August 2006.

But before she died, Betty made sure she changed the ownership of the house to the evicted woman.

Kekana showed Sowetan a letter from the local chief saying that the house belonged to her.

Her husband died in 1998 while her only son had died in 1991.

Kekana admitted having received several court papers which she could not understand.

She later learnt that her late husband's elder brother wanted to claim the house.

"I did not take the issue of my late husband's brother seriously until I saw the sheriff, accompanied by the police, on Monday," Kekana said.

She said she was angered by the fact that the judgment against her was taken in her absence. She was also not shown a copy of the judgment. After her eviction, the house locks were changed.

When Sowetan visited the village yesterday, the house was empty, except for a confused dog belonging to the evicted woman.

Villagers angered by the eviction vowed not to allow any new occupants as they felt the woman was "unfairly treated".

Kekana is being accommodated at her neighbour's house while the Red Cross is assisting her with food.

Chief Vaaltyn Kekana, the local traditional leader, was yesterday adamant the house belonged to the woman. He said he would follow up the matter and ensure that sanity prevailed.