Elikya, a documented asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo, described how armed men burnt her family home in Greenwood Park on 25 June despite her legal status.
Elikya told Daily Maverick she and her family, who arrived in South Africa in 1997, fled after about 20 men threatened them and later threw a petrol bomb into the garage.
The family left furniture and belongings behind. Elikya said the locked gate showed intent to harm residents inside.
She added that police did not respond promptly to calls for help. The attack left the family scattered across different locations.
Elikya said the incident showed documented refugees were also being targeted amid the unrest linked to March and March.