Cops after witch-hunt induna

2008-07-22 20:23

Komatipoort - Police are preparing to arrest a popular Mpumalanga traditional leader after he allegedly led a rampaging mob that torched three homesteads on Sunday night.

The still unnamed induna reportedly helped the large lynch gang conduct a systematic witch-hunt through Mananga village, near the Swaziland border, before helping torch the houses in a bid to get rid of 'magical' baboons that have allegedly been terrifying the area.

Constable Solane Hlahla of Mbuzini police said on Tuesday: "The villagers are insisting that the animals are not natural, and that it is local witches who turn themselves into baboons.

"They chased down one baboon using hunting dogs, cars, and well-organised groups of volunteers. Then, they targeted a 77-year old pensioner, because the baboon fled into his yard and apparently often been seen hiding around his house in the past."

Kicked in the front door

"The pensioner initially tried to defend his home with a spear, but his defiance only angered the mob, which called more people from nearby homesteads."

The chanting mob kicked in the front door to the pensioner's main house, searched the building for 'evidence of witchcraft', and then gave his terrified family 30 minutes to grab what they could before fleeing.

Hlahla said: "We cannot name the pensioner, to protect him and his family from further victimisation. We have them all in protective custody, because the entire family was chased out of the village."

The other two houses that were also fire-bombed later on Sunday night belonged to an elderly Swazi sangoma and to a prophet affiliated with the Jericho Church, which has merged aspects of ancestor worship with Christianity.

Police managed to intervene and disperse the mob before a fourth homestead, belonging to a Swazi inyanga, was torched just before dawn on Monday.

Hlahla said: "The mob split into groups and was burning out anyone who was suspected to have links to witchcraft. The sangoma and inyanga both originally came from Swaziland, but the prophet is a South African."

Sangoma, prophet fled

The sangoma and prophet and their families, declined police protection on Monday and have instead fled with the few possessions they were able to retrieve from their gutted houses.

Police are uncertain how to contact them for statements or for them to identify and testify against their attackers.

The inyanga has also moved to another village, but has remained in contact with police.

King Mlambo II, who is the paramount ruler of Mbuzini, condemned the witchhunt and violence on Tuesday.

King warns indunas

"I am outraged that pensioners and healers had their homes burnt. The police must arrest the culprits as soon as possible."

King Mlambo warned that indunas who flouted traditional custom and the new constitution risked charges both by the traditional courts and by South Africa's police.

Mpumalanga's Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) meanwhile warned on Tuesday that anyone caught killing a baboon faced a minimum two-year prison term.

Police have opened dockets for arson, intimidation, public violence, and violation of South Africa's Suppression of Witchcraft Act.

- African Eye