Pensioners struggle after vigilantes chase away immigrant tenants
KwaThema pensioners relied on renting out rooms, shops or business spaces to supplement their SASSA pensions
In KwaThema, Springs, Gauteng, pensioners have been grappling with financial hardships following the eviction of immigrant tenants by vigilant groups. The eviction, ordered by anti-immigration groups, left pensioners without a reliable source of income to supplement their old-age SASSA grants. Joseph Phakathi, a 69-year-old pensioner, relied on renting backyard business spaces to Mozambican nationals, which accounted for most of his income.
When the vigilantes threatened him with fines and a possible house burning, he lost his main income source and feared for his safety. A similar fate befell another pensioner, Gogo Nomasonto, who also lost rental income from her tenants. Both pensioners now struggle to make ends meet, highlighting the dire consequences of such vigilante actions.
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