Mob set alight an elderly couple, after accusing them of witchcraft in the death of their granddaughter

Fourteen people were arrested on Thursday morning for killing an elderly couple in Lindelani, near Ntuzuma, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

A mob set alight and killed the elderly couple in Lindelani on Wednesday morning, accusing them of practising witchcraft.

“Ntuzuma detectives immediately started the investigation and identified 14 community members as possible suspects in the murder,” Captain Thulani Zwane said in a statement.

“During the early hours of this morning [Thursday] the 14, aged between 18 and 40, were arrested by the police and are still being questioned,” he said.    

“We need to emphasise that any form of vigilantism will not be tolerated and perpetrators will be arrested, prosecuted and sent to  prison.”   

Police found Elsa Dubazane, 60, dead in her bedroom and her husband Rafael Dubazane, 66, dead on the road after the attack.

The Mercury reported that the couple was attacked and assaulted on Friday by a mob which accused them of killing their granddaughter and burying her in the yard.

“Their granddaughter died at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital on January 4. She had overdosed on some pills because she was having family problems,” Zwane said.

He said police were waiting for the results of a post mortem as there were allegations that Zakude Shozi, 16, had been beaten by either her grandmother or her father.