Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-02-05

The scourge of murders and crimes against the elderly in Lenasia is spiraling out of control with yet another gruesome murder in the township South of Johannesburg.

80-year old Halima Amod was found apparently strangled in her bedroom by neigbours at her home in Zenith Street, Lenasia Extension 13 on January 31st.

Amod’s son-in-law Yunus became concerned and notified the neighbours to go and check on her after the elderly woman failed to answer her phone.

Neigbours rushed to Amod’s home where they found the front door open but the security gate locked.

A neigbour who lives across the road and has a spare key to Amod’s home unlocked the gate and made the gruesome discovery.

The home had been ransacked with contents from Amods handbag missing.

Its understood, the unscrupulous criminals gained entry to the elderly woman’s home by removing the tiles from the roof.

“It is only last week when we took her to our home in Heidelberg, for a visit. Her sister died two weeks ago, and now this,” Yunus told a local newspaper.  

It is alleged it took the police two hours to get to the murder scene.

Amod lived in the area for over twenty years and all her neighbours referred to her as a 'Sweetie-Pie’ that would greet everybody who passed by her house.

Lenasia Police Station’s spokesperson Hector Netshivodza told Radio Islam, the police have opened an inquest docket.

“At this stage, police are not suspecting any foul play as there was no signs of any struggle. We are continuing our investigation and are awaiting post mortem results to determine cause of death,” said Netshivodza.

No suspects have been arrested.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)