Pertunia Ratsatsi

Pertunia Ratsatsi

A 23-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly robbing and killing his grandmother for her pension grant at Mandela village in Mpumalanga.

The man apparently became angry when his 79-year-old grandmother refused to give him the R100 he had demanded.

It is believed the granny had just received her pension last Thursday when the man demanded a share.

The body of Tsatsawana Annah Sono was found in a pit by neighbours on Friday morning.

Police say the neighbours, who had heard screams on Thursday night, rushed to the house.

"They found the grandson standing outside the house. When they asked what was going on, he told them that his grandmother was attacked by thieves and she ran into the bushes.

"He left saying he was going to inform his relatives about the incident," said Captain Mamsi Cibe.

"The community then went on a search for her. But they had to stop because it was already too dark," said the police spokesman.

Cibe said the search was continued the following morning.

"The pensioner was found in a pit close to the house."

The young man was nowhere and the house was left unlocked.

"Her legs and hands were tied with a wire and her head was covered with a bloody cloth. Her neck was tied with a rope," she said.

She had a big open wound. It is believed she was hacked with a panga, said Cibe.

"After the young man allegedly killed her. He searched his grandmother and found that she had R90 and a cellphone, which he took."

Police launched a manhunt and the man was arrested on Saturday at a tavern in Lethili village.

He is expected to appear in court soon on murder and robbery charges.