MAKONDE – A prominent community leader has received three death threats from unknown people for “talking too much” about the ritual murder case of the late Maanda Sendedza, whose private parts were removed after his brutal murder on 23 October.

Mr Marcus Malume told Mirror that he received three telephone calls warning him to be more careful with his life because he is making noise about the ritual murderers. “They can destroy my flesh, but they will never destroy the truth. We are tired of the ritual killings and we will never stop complaining about this. I would rather die for the truth than mislead my community by living for lies…”

Malume said the trouble started during the funeral service of the muti victim, Maanda Sendedza (25), on 29 October. “I spoke on behalf of the community and the royal council during the late soccer star’s funeral. I told the mourners that the community will never sit down and watch while our people die like flies. That was not my personal feeling because I spoke on behalf of the community whom I represented. I will never swallow my words because those are the feelings of the concerned community members who are tired of dying brutal and unacceptable deaths. No one has a licence to kill a human being and I will never stop telling the truth because we need the ritual killings to stop. We have discussed the matter at our Civic Association and the Royal Council meetings and we will be taking further steps in the near future,” said Malume, the Secretary of the Makonde Civic Association and senior member of the Ravhura Royal Council.

A geography teacher at Raluvhimba Secondary School, Malume said the anonymous callers accuse him of influencing the villagers to wage a war against the ritual killers. “The first call came shortly after the funeral of the muti victim. The call was a private number because the caller did not want to be identified. I was told that my days were numbered and I should be careful because ‘we are watching your e very step’. I also got some information from reliable sources that there was a group that gathered in a secret meeting at Thengwe who were discussing how they can kill me. I also got a call from somebody in Pretoria last week, telling me that I will die soon because of my involvement in the ritual murder issue. The first words from the caller were: ‘Hu ri’ni khosi ya Muzavhalazo wa Maviavhathu?’ (How are you the king of the struggle against ritual murderers?’). When I was still shocked, I was told that I only have a limited time in my lifetime. I then called the number back, but I realized that it was done from a public phone in Pretoria.”

However, Malume said he will continue working for the community despite the death threats. “I am in this world to serve the people and I will never stop speaking for the voiceless. Ritual murder is unacceptable and inhuman and we will never stop criticizing it.”

Insp Nkanukeni Raedani of the Thohoyandou SAPS advises Malume to report the matter to the police as a matter of urgency. “We take these death threats in a very serious light and we need Malume to register a case so that we may start with our investigations. It is against the law to threaten someone with death. We will do our level best to assist Malume if he comes forward to open a docket against the people who are threatening him.”