KNYSNA NEWS - A 43-year-old Brackenhill man committed suicide by hanging on Monday afternoon, and his family blame a furniture store and its employee for harassing him over debt to the point where he could take no more.
Francois Stroebel's sister Chantel Watson told Knysna-Plett Herald that her brother opened his first-ever accounts at two branches of a retail chain store in August this year.
"At the time he made arrangements to pay off the money," his sister said.
According to Watson some weeks later, though, Stroebel began receiving phone calls almost on a daily basis and was put under pressure by the furniture and appliance store to pay the full amount "or face the consequences".
'Aggressive and threatening'
On Monday 15 June, two representatives from each of the branches of the company he owed money to showed up at his front door.
"The first person was reasonable and left after my brother explained to him that he doesn't have the money," said Watson.
But the second person to arrive at the home was ''much more aggressive and threatening", she said.
"It was the same person that sold my brother the goods at the store,'' she continued. ''He told my brother that if he doesn't pay before 17:00 he would be spending the night in jail."
As soon as the man left, Stroebel went straight into his room and locked the door behind him, never to come out alive again.
Distraught family members showed KPH the final text messages that Stroebel sent to his girlfriend just before his death, stating that he was being harassed and threatened, and why he felt the need to end his life.
'No other problems in life'
"He had no other problems in life that would drive him to commit such a deed. We believe he was pushed towards suicide, all because he owed money to a store and was threatened," said Watson.
On Tuesday the family went to the Knysna police station to lay a charge of culpable homicide, but were told that police would open an inquest docket and thereafter decide what further investigation, if any, would be pursued.
According to Mary-Anne Mngomezulu, who is the secretary of the Western Cape Forestry Sector Forum that represents about 50 poor communities, it is vital that the authorities investigate the constant harassment of the poorest, who are constantly subjected to unethical salespeople and debt collectors.
"I feel it's important that we work towards putting an end to irresponsible credit practices by some companies. Countless people fall into this trap and end up paying exaggerated amounts for extended periods. And we often see that poor communities are targeted, where people are unaware of their rights and are oppressed in this way as a result."
The text messages Stroebel sent to his girlfriend just moments before he took his own life.
According to a 2016 article by Knysna-Plett Herald sister newspaper George Herald, Lewis Stores managed to convince a 60-year-old gardener to sign a contract for a 14kg twin tub washing machine that, apart from the R5 999 price tag, included a R975 contract fee, R750 for delivery, a R1 311 maintenance agreement, interest at 23% a year, customer protection insurance of R2 052 and, again, protection insurance for clients of R3 785. The total amounted to R17 955.
At the time, Lewis Stores defended the extra charges, saying it was done in line with the National Credit Act.
According to George Herald, a hefty R5 837 of the R17 955 was for insurance, but the store stated that the two insurance charges were above board and not a duplication.
Following an outcry on social media, the man's sales contract with Lewis was subsequently cancelled. Lewis took back the washing machine and the money was refunded.
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