By Tumi Makgobotloane
A Komati resident is thanking her neighbours and local police for their swift response after an unsettling incident at her home on Friday 18 September 2026.
The incident has also sparked wider concerns among residents about suspicious individuals approaching homes and allegedly entering properties, with some community members saying this is not the first incident of its kind.
According to the resident, a man approached her while she was at home on Friday and asked if he could wash her car. She refused and asked him to leave.
She says the man returned later that afternoon, saying he wanted to assist her. She again told him that she did not need his help.
The resident says she became increasingly concerned about his presence and called on her neighbours for assistance, telling them that she was being harassed. She says she also set her dog on the man, who then quickly left the property and closed the gates behind him. Alarmed by the encounter and fearing for her safety, the resident decided to go to the police station to open a case.
But before leaving her home, she says she left her house keys at the usual spot where she keeps them.
After opening the case at the police station, the resident returned home, only to find the same man she had chased away earlier, back on her property. She says she was astonished to find him there.
“I left my house keys in the place where I always keep them and went to the police station to open a case. I never thought that when I came back, I would find the same man coming out of my house,” she says.
According to the resident, the man denied stealing anything. Fortunately, she was not alone. Her husband was at home and helped restrain the man to the fence using a cable tie, while they called the local police for assistance.
The arrival of the authorities brought some relief to her family. Upon arrival, the officers asked the intruder a few questions before taking him away in their vehicle. The resident has commended local police for their swift response and for playing their part in ensuring the situation was brought under control.
“I would like to commend our local police for playing their part and acting swiftly upon receiving my call for help,” she says.
She is now waiting for an update on the case, including whether the man will face any charges.
A bigger concern for the community
For residents, however, the incident is raising concerns that go beyond one household. The resident says this is not an isolated incident, as other members of the community in Komati have experienced encounters with individuals they’ve considered suspicisous allegedly entering properties.
“Other people in the community have also had encounters with individuals approaching their homes or entering their properties, and this is making residents increasingly concerned about their safety.”
– komati resident
These incidents are raising serious concerns among residents, who say it is deeply alarming to find unfamiliar individuals already inside their properties, leaving them questioning how they can protect themselves, their families and their homes.
Women’s safety remains a growing concern
The concerns come at a particularly alarming time for women across South Africa, with communities once again confronting the devastating reality of violence against women.
In Ekurhuleni Gauteng, police are investigating the deaths of nine women whose bodies were discovered across the area over the past week. The cases have sparked widespread concern and renewed calls for stronger action against gender-based violence and femicide.
The concern has been heightened further following the discovery of another woman’s body in a dam in Moroka, Soweto, on Sunday 19 September 2026. Police have opened an inquest, with the circumstances surrounding her death still under investigation.
Against this backdrop, the experience of the Komati resident has heightened concerns among local residents about their safety, particularly when unfamiliar individuals are allegedly found inside people’s properties.
For women who already live with fears about their safety, the thought of encountering a stranger inside their own home can be particularly distressing. The incident has therefore become more than an individual experience. It has added to a growing conversation in Komati about vigilance, community support and the need for residents to act when they feel their safety is threatened.
For the resident involved in Friday’s incident, the support she received from her neighbours was an important part of the response.
She has expressed her gratitude to the Komati community for standing with her during what she describes as a frightening experience.
“I alerted our community WhatsApp group about what had happened, and neighbours came out in numbers to support me,” she says.
The incident is now also prompting a wider call among residents to remain alert, look out for one another and report suspicious behaviour to the relevant authorities.
Komati News Flash has approached police for further information about the incident and will provide an update once the circumstances and any possible charges have been confirmed.
