Homes set alight following witchcraft allegations

The homes of two families were set alight by an angry mob, following the disappearance of a five-year-old boy. This follows after a local sangoma allegedly identified the owners of the homes as suspects and some community members wanted to take the law into their own hands.

Matimu Mathebula disappeared last Sunday while playing with another boy outside his home in Mapuve village, just outside Giyani. After he disappeared, the whole village went on an intensive search, assisted by the police, but without success.

Matimu's father, Mr Wilson Mathebula (34), told Limpopo Mirror that he afterwards visited a traditional healer, asking for help in tracing the boy. The sangoma allegedly showed him in a mirror the two suspects who had killed Matimu. According to Mathebula, he paid the sangoma R300 for the information.

On Friday, members of the community gathered at the local playground and started accusing two local residents, claiming that they had something to do with Matimu's disappearance. They accused the men of killing the boy for muti purposes.

From what could be established, an angry mob proceeded to the homes of the accused and burnt down the houses and some vehicles.

One of the accused, Jabulani Chabalala, went into hiding and is still fearing for his life. He said this week that the people who had burned down his house were simply jealous because he was progressing in life. “They would have killed me for nothing if they had found me. The person whose child went missing is also a relative of mine and I'm still stunned about their decision,” said Chabalala. He said he lost a three-room house, two bakkies and furniture, as well as some other property.

Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi condemned the incident and appealed to residents in the village to work together with the police and to search for the missing boy.

“We have already arrested three suspects and we are expecting to arrest more very soon on charges of arson and malicious damage to property,” said Mulaudzi.

News - Date: 10 January 2014

Victor Hlungwani

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