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Sangomas asked to solve murder

Villagers fed up with crime have turned to sangomas to help resolve the murder of an 81-year-old woman.

Even though soliciting the services of sangomas to sniff out suspects is a crime on its own, residents of GaSekgopo are contributing R5 per household to pay sangomas to sniff out the people responsible for the old woman's killing.

Malekahlo Mokganya, of Setaseng village at GaSekgopo near Modjadjiskloof, was found dead at the weekend.

"Villagers believe sangomas can finger those responsible. We are Africans and believe in sangomas.

"It was the community's decision, they weren't forced," said the granny's grandson Elias Mokganya, who is also the village headman.

"Residents have already contributed but we haven't found a good sangoma to help. We are calling for all the powerful sangomas to come and help," said Mokganya.

He said they believed his grandmother was killed for her old age grant, which she was paid last week. The money is missing.

"She had just collected her grant days before her death."

Mokganya said they were alerted by a neighbour who found the granny's home locked and raised the alarm. The door to her room was forced open and residents made the horrific discovery.

"Her blood was all over the floor from the entrance of her house."

Mokganya said though they reported the matter to the police, "still as Africans we've to go for plan B, which is consulting sangomas for help."

Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed the murder.

The province has been rocked by incidents of mob justice linked to witch-hunts.

In March, an elderly woman was taken into hiding after she was allegedly identified by sangomas and prophets as being responsible for the disappearance of a five-year-old child. The woman and her grandson were rescued from a mob by the police at GaSekgopo.

The Grade R pupil, Lethabile Rakubu, went missing while on her way to school. Witnesses said she was last seen playing outside the school yard with other children.

Residents paid sangomas and prophets to sniff out the people they believed were responsible for the disappearance. The elderly woman and her son were fingered but police came to their rescue when the mob tried to attack them.

According the Witchcraft Suppression Amendment Act 50 of 1970, it is an offence to "employ or solicit any witchdoctor, witch-finder or any other person to name or indicate any person as a wizard".

Ngoepe refused to comment on the sangoma issue.

 

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