MAKONDE – A naked man, who prowls during the night or in the early hours of the morning, is terrorising villagers, who have now decided to stay indoors for fear of their lives. Local villagers now call the man Lubunyu (a Venda word for someone who is always naked) as a result of his nakedness.

Villagers who came face to face with the man, were brave to tell Mirror stories of their horrible experiences.

Mr Piet Netshilungwi (32), who works at the local bakery, said he came across Lubunyu last week Wednesday at about 00:00 next to the Makonde post office.

He told Mirror: “I was rushing to work as I was working night shift. When I came next to the post office, a tall man emerged from nowhere and stopped in front of me. At first I thought I was out of mind, but I then realized that what I was seeing was true. I could clearly saw that the man was naked because of the post office lights and the moonshine. He just stood in front of me without saying a word. I ran for my dear life, fearing that he might be a ghost who could take me to noman’s land from where I would never come back. I never looked back, but I could hear his powerful footsteps behind. Fortunately, there was a vehicle coming from the opposite side with the head lights on and Lubunyu vanished into the nearby bushes.”

Another man Azwimmbavhi Nkhumeleni (34), said he saw Lubunyu in the same spot when he was coming from a night vigil a fortnight ago.

“I was alone in the early hours of the morning when this tall, naked man appeared from nowhere. He did not say a word but he stood in the middle of the road. Before I could take any action, he came close to me with his hand stretched out. I ran towards the post office and I was fortunate because there were some people who were coming from a church gathering. When I looked back, Lubunyu was nowhere to be found. I believe these are the workers of the evil spirits and I warn other villagers to be aware of Lubunyu when they are walking alone at night.”

Other incidents about Lubunyu in the village were also reported in the past weeks. A woman, who asked Mirrornot to publish her name, said she was going to do some washing at the Mudaswali River at about 04:30 when she came across Lubunyu next to the Makonde beer hall. She said she threw her washing basin away and ran away to the nearest house and Lubunyu vanished into thin air. Three other women in the village also confirmed that they came across the naked man in separate incidents.

Although Lubunyu seems to be a threat in the village, there were no incidents of rape as he only prowls and terrorizes people who walk in the night or the early hours of the morning.

A well-known clergyman in the village, Pastor Mmboswobeni Mankhili of the Wells of Reviral Church, said Lubunyu’s actions are clearly the works of the devil, but they can be defeated through prayer. “The devil is working very hard to destabilize life in the village and, as Christians, it is our duty to ask God’s power to wipe out all the evils.”