Angry community members of Ha-Mutonga village outside Elim allegedly set alight and burnt down the houses of a sangoma, who had been arrested for a suspected ritual murder. He and five others had allegedly killed and set on fire a 52-year-old man, Mr Philip Chambeti Bendzani, in the village a week ago.

All five the houses of Mr Frans Madzivhe have been destroyed and most of his belongings perished in last Saturday’s attack.

Madzivhe (54), a sangoma, and Messrs Rudzani Shadrack Malange (21), Meshack Mkhwanadzi (20), Lesley Meshack Malange (21), Reynie Abraal (31) and David Mnisi (27) had been arrested and charged with Bendzani's murder. The accused had allegedly removed the victim's pubic hair and testicles and set him alight.

Apart from burning Madzivhe’s houses last Saturday, the angry residents allegedly went as far as burning the accused's goats alive and also removing the eyes of some of the goats. Family members had to run for their lives during the attack.

The police have since arrested 20 people, following the violence. The spokesperson for the police at Waterval, W/O Kedibone Mabatha, confirmed the arrests. He said that three cases of arson, public violence and malicious damage to property had been opened. Those arrested are between the ages of 15 and 53 years. According to Mabatha, most of those arrested are Zimbabwean nationals. They appeared in the Waterval Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and were denied bail.

"We are warning people not to take the law into their own hands during situations like this," said Mabatha. He added that the police must be allowed to do their jobs without any interference from the community. Those who were arrested during the violent protest had not yet appeared in court at the time of going to press.

In reaction to the killing of the goats, an SPCA inspector at Makhado, Insp Lawrence Khodobo, said that the SPCA would not tolerate such behaviour. At present he is awaiting a police report, so that he can lay charges of cruelty against the accused. According to Mabatha, police investigations are still continuing. On Wednesday, members of the Makhado Public Order Policing were still in the area to keep the peace.

Madzive and his co-accused appeared in the Louis Trichardt District Court again on Tuesday and the case was postponed to 5 June for a bail application. Residents had also threatened to take the law in their own hands if the suspects were given bail.