Cult could have killed more

2003-06-27 21:25

Cindy Preller

Umtata - Residents of the Mandela community are demanding that the police demolish all the buildings belonging to the Ark sect to conduct a thorough search in the foundations for more bodies.

This follows a court case in Umtata's magistrate's court on Friday, where 15 members of sect appeared on charges of hiding a number of deaths and defeating the cause of justice.

They were all granted bail.

Police and community leaders earlier this week dug up the bodies of eight former sect members who had been buried in shallow graves. Vegetables had been planted over the graves to hide them.

A bulldozer was used to help in the search for more bodies, but nothing else was found.

A police spokesperson, superintendent Nondumiso Jafta, says: "Members of the community are annoyed that the sect members' requests for bail have been granted.

"However, the community chief, Jongisizwe Ndzambule, has given us the assurance that he will call on everyone to co-operate with the police and not to take the law into their own hands."

Earlier, unhappy residents broke down the doors of buildings which the sect members used as a church and living quarters.

They found only posters, mattresses and furniture in the rooms.

Jafta says the police have information about the whereabouts of the sect's alleged leader, Nokulunga Fipaza and is confident that an arrest will be made soon.

- Die Burger