'I am counting my days'

2003-06-08 21:28

Johannesburg - A Sowetan bride fears for her life, because her new in-laws are accusing her of killing her mother-in-law.

They are threatening to necklace her so that she can follow her mother-in-law to heaven.

Jeanet Ramasodi, 22, a new graduate from a sangoma school in Molapo, is being accused of bewitching her 72-year-old mother in-law. Noria Ramafi died at her house last Wednesday.

Ramasodi was immediately accused by her husband's brothers and sister, who said she had bewitched the old woman.

"I did not kill my mother-in-law. She died because she had high blood pressure," said Ramasodi.

Daily Sun was told the problem with Ramasodi and her in-laws began when she completed her sangoma training.

Ramasodi's husband, Nathaniel Ramafi, said the fight started when the family had to decide on a venue for Ramasodi's graduation ceremony. They family could not agree on where the ceremony should take place.

"My wife and I wanted it to be in our family house in Naledi, but some of my sisters influenced my uncles," said Ramafi.

Ramafi, also a sangoma, said tension worsened when his mother, who had gone mad temporarily, said she was bewitched by his new wife.

"Everything that went wrong with the old lady was my fault, according to my in-laws. They kept on pointing fingers at me," said a tearful Ramasodi.

Ramasodi said she and her husband went to Rustenburg last month to Ramafi's family home.

"I burnt incense for my ancestors and prayed, but my relatives said we burnt muti to kill our mother," Ramafi said.

Relatives held a meeting after the old lady fell ill and the sangoma couple was told to leave the house, because a family sangoma said the two were witches and responsible for the old woman's illness.

"I want to know who this sangoma is, because my family might now kill my wife," said Ramafi.

Ramasodi said her mother-in-law will be buried next week Saturday.

"I am counting my days in this world. My family said I will be placed next to the old woman, because I had used witchcraft to kill her," Ramasodi said.

- Daily Sun