Petunia Ratsatsi

Petunia Ratsatsi

A woman in Tembisa on the East Rand hanged herself after accusing her husband of buying cheap liquor for her.

Her husband had found her sitting with her female friends at their home and decided to buy them Redds ciders while he bought her Hansa Pilsner.

Nkuleko Nzamo, 27, a mother of two, took offence and accused her common- law husband of buying "expensive" liquor for her friends and buying her the "cheap" stuff.

Husband Frank Phoko, 32, said yesterday that her wife hanged herself on Sunday night after they had quarrelled over the issue.

This happened in their shack in Tembisa.

"I bought three Redds at R9 each and three Hansas at R7,50 each," Phoko said. "I don't know what got into her, she was very happy that night. We were playing music and she was dancing with her friends.

"Her mood changed immediately after they left at about 7pm.

"When I asked her what happened she began to shout at me. She told me that I had hurt her feelings and striped her off her dignity because I bought her Hansa beer instead of Redds ciders that I bought for her friends.

"I couldn't understand it because she was drinking Hansa before her friends arrived.

"I decided to go outside and let her calm down because she had woken up some of the neighbours with her shouting. While I was sitting on the street a neighbour called me and told me that my wife had hanged herself.

"I could not believe my eyes when I entered the room - she had used one of the sheets we used for sleeping to tie herself to the roof," said Phoko.

Police spokesman Lesiba Manamela confirmed the incident. "We appeal to community members to open up about their problems," Manamela said.

"There are councillors at clinics, hospitals and police stations who are there to listen to any problem."