Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

Fear, disbelief and destitution are the plights of four Limpopo families whose houses were burnt after being accused of practising witchcraft.

The incident happened on Sunday night at Homu village's 14C section outside Giyani.

Three other houses were burnt down in the same area last year after villagers accused their owners of being responsible for the mysterious deaths of four people.

In all the incidents, the affected families were all pensioners and traditional healers from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The four families - the Mathebulas, Mbombis, Mathiwasas and Mkharis - had to sleep in the open on the verandas of their houses after the attacks.

Furniture, groceries, clothing including blankets and school uniforms, valued at almost R12000 were lost in the flames, leaving the families homeless and without food.

Two schoolchildren who lived with their grandparents in the houses have not been to school since Monday as their uniforms and books were destroyed in the fires.