Mob stone 'witch', 73

2005-11-03 12:13

Riot Hlatshwayo

Tzaneen - Police have arrested 17 people over three days after a mob attacked a 73-year-old woman and accused her of witchcraft.

The pensioner was pelted with stones at Sasekani village near Tzaneen at about 6pm on Monday.

"It is very disturbing that even though we are more than 10 years into democracy, people continue to call each other witches and take the law into their own hands," said Mopani police spokesperson Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe on Wednesday.

He said some of the suspects were as old as 65.

He said the mob also stoned the police, but that the cops were able to restore calm and get the pensioner to hospital, where she is still recovering.

Suspects charged

Ngoepe said 15 people were arrested immediately, while two more were arrested on Wednesday morning. He said more arrests were imminent.

The suspects are charged with public violence, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, malicious damage to property and contravening the Suppression of Witchcraft Act, which prohibits calling anyone a witch.

They are expected to appear in Ritavi magistrate's court soon.

Earlier this year, 15 houses were torched at Ngove and Nkomo villages outside Giyani when the owners were accused of witchcraft.

A few weeks later, villagers in Ngove wanted to kill a rooster and a hen because they believed the birds were a witch's familiars.

Police rescued the hen and rooster before they could be killed.

- African Eye