Limpopo’s youngest alleged human parts merchant, Lucky Simango, made some startling claims when he appeared in Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Simango said that he wanted to use the parts to heal his bleeding problem. He was also commissioned by his uncle who works in Polokwane who said that there was a big market for human parts in Johannesburg. Simango was arrested in August, after being found in possession of the private parts belonging to the 8-year-old Fortune Khumalo of Jilongo in August.

Simango demanded to be sentenced when he appeared in court. He raised his hands and requested to talk to the magistrate Daniel Maluleke. Even before Maluleke could answer, he complained that he had been raped in prison and had complained but nothing was done about the matter.

"I want to be sentenced right now, because I do not want to waste the court’s time as I am wrong," he said. The magistrate said that he could not be sentenced, before the court had all the information about the case. He advised him to cooperate with the police in order to speed up the trial. The magistrate mentioned that the court needed to know who had sent him, who had helped him and what he wanted to do with the parts, before the court could sentence him.

Simango surprised everybody when he said: "I was sent by my uncle Risimati Simango, who is working in Polokwane. He promised me ten buckets full of money, and said that he would take the parts to Johannesburg for selling." Simango said that he could take the police to his uncle.

Simango further said that he was always bleeding and he also used the parts for muti, in order to be cured.

The case was postponed to November 29 pending further investigations.

Community structures who wanted to submit a memorandum to the magistrate went home disappointed, after this request was refused. Members of the structures were locked out of the court premises, chanting slogans amid a heavy police presence. They included members of the ANC, Sanco, ANC Youth League, as well as learners from Shigombe Primary School, where Fortune is also a learner. They demanded that no bail be granted to the suspect.

"He instills fear into us and once he is released we will no longer go to the bush to collect wood," said Khumbulani Maluleke, a community member from Jilongo.

The chairperson of the RR Ngobeni ANC Youth League Branch, Patrick Rihlampfu said that it was a disgrace for the courts not to allow people to voice their discontent and concerns through peaceful means. "We have come to let the court know that people outside are angry, and if he is to be granted bail anything can happen to him," he said.

Fortune has been discharged from the hospital where he was treated. His parents have expressed grief that since his manhood has been taken away, a bleak future awaits the boy. Fortune will go for further treatment early next month.

A fund for the assistance of the family towards the boy’s treatment has also been established. The account is: Fortune Khumalo family Fund, Number 62151417360, FNB Malamulele.