Initiations: Probe journo shot
2006-07-05 19:37
Nelspruit - A journalist has been shot and wounded for investigating the death of an initiate at an Mpumalanga circumcision school.
The 77-year-old owner of the school and his six assistants are due to appear in court on Thursday on charges of attempted murder and assault.
The journalist, Owen Adams Cassinga, works for a Nelspruit-based newspaper called Mpumalanga News.
He was shot on Tuesday and the bullet grazed his head. He was then assaulted with sticks and stones.
He and colleague Teddy Ndlazi had gone to enquire about the death of initiate Evans Msibi, 15, who died of possible food poisoning two weeks ago at the school in Masoyi near Hazyview.
When the journalists arrived at the initiation-school owner's house, he wasn't there. His wife sent people to tell him that he had visitors from the media.
The journalists said that when the old man saw them he became aggressive.
Camera and cellphone taken
Mpumalanga News editor Bongani Hlatshwayo said on Wednesday: "I'm told that he pulled out a pistol and fired two shots at the reporters. Cassinga was grazed on the head."
When Cassinga fell to the ground, he was then stoned and beaten with sticks. His camera and cellphone were taken.
Ndlazi ran to the police station and called his office from his cellphone.
Police rushed to the school-owner's house and seven people were arrested. A licensed firearm was confiscated.
Captain Jabu Khosa of Masoyi police said more charges might be laid against the seven.
"More charges might be added, like theft and the negligent use of a firearm," he said.
The seven were due to appear in court on Wednesday, but the magistrate at the KaBokweni court postponed the case because some of the suspects were minors and their parents were not in court.
The assistants are aged between 14 and 30.
Initiate of 53 'kidnapped'
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) condemned the incident.
In KwaMhlanga, a 53-year-old man was kidnapped and taken to an initiation school in May.
When police tried to rescue him, he said he would lay charges only when he came out of the initiation school.
No arrests have been made yet.