Hundreds of angry demonstrators bayed for the blood of Ndivhudzannyi Reckson Thinandavha (42) who appeared for a bail application at Mutale Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

He has been implicated in the ritual murder case of his common-law wife, Shonisani Thinandavha (38), whose mutilated body was found at Mulodi Mountain in July. Her upper lip, right palm hand, left ear and the front part of her breasts were sliced off. She was naked from the waist down and a rope was tied around her neck. The deceased has left behind seven kids, including a three-month-old baby.

Much to the relief of the demonstrators, Ndivhudzannyi was not granted bail. He will be in custody until his next court appearance. Magistrate Nnzudzeni Rammbuda postponed the bail hearing to October 30,.

Dressed in a new khaki lumber jacket, new black trousers and new pair of black shoes, the suspect looked calm and walked confidently to the dock although he had security chains around his legs. “We are postponing your hearing to the 30th October, 2006, and you will remain in custody until then. Do you have any problem with that?” asked the Magistrate. “I do not have any problem with that,” Thinandavha said in a commanding voice.

Police and Security officers had to close the main gate of the court building as community members wanted entrance to have a glance at the suspect. The situation nearly got out of hand when some of the demonstrators clashed with the police as they wanted to get into the court forcefully. One demonstrator was arrested.

Earlier in the morning, hundreds of concerned community members converged at Phalama sports field where the march to the Mutale Magistrate’s Court started. The marchers demanded that the suspect should never be given bail. Led by senior officials of the South African National Civic Organization (Sanco) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the marchers handed a memorandum of their demands to Magistrate Nnzudzeni Rammbuda. Among other things, the marchers demanded that all other suspects implicated in the same case should be arrested as a matter of urgency. They also requested that all other ritual murder cases in Vhembe should be reviewed as community members are willing to give evidence. Accepting the memorandum, Magistrate Rammbuda said all the grievances would be given priority and they would be attended to as a matter of urgency.

Sanco Provincial Organizing Secretary, James Delekisa, who was also among the marchers, said the scourge of ritual murder in Vhembe has reached a boiling point where everyone needs to stand up and fight for the ritual murderers to be removed from the community. “If some-thing is not done now, we are all going to perish as a result of ritual murder.

As Sanco, we are worried that community members are willing to give evidence, but police are not arresting the suspects. If found guilty, Ndivhudzannyi should rot in jail, because he would be no longer welcome in our community.”

One of the leaders of the marchers, Dean Alunamutwe Rannditsheni of the SACC said: “Although we know that the law will take its own course, we are worried because ritual murder cases are increasing on a daily basis. We will never rest until we win this war against these cruel people who live on human blood.”