WHEN Winfred met a beautiful woman two years ago, he believed it was love at first sight.
So the 51-year-old man who is living with a disability started saving R500 from his disability grant to pay for her lobola, and he eventually saved R12 000.
He was looking forward to officially making NoEurope Ntsaka (45) his wife. What Winfred didn’t know was that NoEurope had other plans. According to Winfred Gila from Maqhinebeni Village, close to Mthatha, his makoti-to-be proved to be nothing but a thief.
The wheelchair-bound man said he organised for NoEurope’s family to come over to his house for lobola negotiations.
“Two men arrived with her on Monday and introduced themselves as NoEurope’s uncles. I gave them R10 000 and a goat. They left and NoEurope stayed behind. They were supposed to come back later for the Tsiki ceremony which is accompanied by booze.
“I woke up at midnight and realised that NoEurope was missing together with the 30 beers that I had put under our bed. Her phone has since been on voicemail,” he said.
Winfred’s neighbour, Vusumzi Khwela, said he spotted NoEurope on Tuesday going around the village selling the stolen booze meant to be used for the Tsiki ceremony – a ceremony meant to introduce the families’ ancestors.
“She was travelling in a bakkie with her two so-called uncles. They were selling the booze in the village.
“I’m convinced that one of those alleged uncles is her boyfriend because he referred to her as ‘baby’,” claimed Vusumzi.
NoEurope said: “Yes, I had agreed to marry him but he cheated on me and so I decided to punish him and steal the booze, the goat and the lobola money.”
However, devastated Winfred denied ever cheating.