The Thohoyandou High Court nearly turned into a protest field when hundreds of angry demonstrators bayed for the blood of four traditional healers and a bishop of the Holiness Apostolic Church, who appeared there briefly on Monday. They are implicated in two ritual murder cases.

The formal proceedings for the case against Shumani Dzebu (31), Mukondeleli Phosha (54), Edson Tshimomo Munyai (45), Balanganani Munyai (85) and Bishop Joseph Ramafamba (72) were supposed to have started on Monday. Judge Ephraim Makgoba said the legal representatives of the suspects had requested more time and they needed at least two days for consultation with their clients.

The four traditional healers will remain in custody, whereas Bishop Ramafamba is out on R5 000 bail. Fifteen witnesses were called, but they did not testify, due to the postponement. The trial started yesterday (Thursday).

Amongst other charges, the suspects were charged with ritual murder, attempted murder, robbery and trading in human body parts, following the incidents that happened at Makonde-Shadani on 23 October 2005 and at Mafukani village on 30 November 2004 respectively.

A promising soccer star, Maanda Sendedza, whose private parts and tongue were sliced off, was found dead and his girlfriend, Nyelisani Sidimela (18), lay helplessly beside his body. Her lips were sliced off. Sendedza’s trousers and cell phone were also missing. Phosha and Dzebu were allegedly found in possession of Maanda Sendedza’s private parts, tongue, cell phone and trousers. They were also allegedly found in possession of Nyelisani Sidimela’s removed lips.

In another case, the headless body of a 40-year-old unknown man was discovered at Mafukani, outside Thohoyandou, in November 2004. After an intensive investigation, the traditional healers cooperated with the police and dug up the skull and ribs at the banks of Mbwedi River in Tshidzini village.

Angry demonstrators handed a memorandum of their demands to Adv Bethuel Manyuha, the Director of Public Persecutions in the Thohoyandou High Court. Led by the South African National Civic Organization (Sanco) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the demonstrators demanded that the suspects should be given heavy sentences.

“We have noted what is in your memorandum and we will allow the law to take its course,” said the DPP when receiving the memorandum.

Pastor Thivhileli Nedohe of the SACC appealed to the law enforcers to apply heavy sentences for ritual murderers. He also urged community members to come up with evidence for easier prosecution of the ritual murderers.

Limpopo’s Sanco Organizing Secretary, James Delekisa, said: “As community members, we need to stand up and fight against this mentality of ritual murder. Ritual murderers are evil people who must be removed totally from our community.”