A LIMPOPO family is living in fear after their children were chased away from three different schools where they were accused of witchcraft.
In the latest incident this week, a 10-year-old girl was forced to drop out of Mabilu Primary School in Gondeni village in Venda.
Since August, the little girl has had to flee two villages and two schools with her eight-year-old brother after they were accused of practising satanism and witchcraft.
At Tshitomboni village in August, the family was kicked out, and Tshinetise Primary School did the same to the children.
This was after residents reported that their children were afraid of the little girl.
Her friend had allegedly warned school playground bullies that her newcomer friend was capable of killing people, drinking their blood and setting up dates on which her enemies must die.
The family fled to neighbouring Dididi village where civic leaders and the Dididi Primary School governing body kicked all of them out after one week.
It was then that they fled to Gondeni, near Thohoyandou, where they stayed with relatives.
But the promise of a new life turned into a nightmare when Vhembe Sun, a Thohoyandou community newspaper, published a story with their names and a picture of their mother last Friday.
By Tuesday, the news report had taken over Gondeni, driving more than 20 women to approach Mabilu Primary School to convince the principal to expel the siblings.
Their family is now living in fear because they have also been isolated by the community.
"Everyone in the village fears the children; they no longer play in the street with other children," the siblings' aunt told Sowetan.
"We don't know where they are supposed to live. The girl dropped out of school on Wednesday because no one wanted to share a desk with her.
"On Tuesday she came back earlier than normal from school because another child beat her up and called her a witch."
The children's mother said neighbours held evening prayers on Tuesday, asking for protection from "witches". "This matter is causing us a lot of pain."
The siblings' grandmother said she also lives in fear. "It is common knowledge that anyone who accuses a child of witchcraft is, by implication, saying the child's guardians are witches. This is what makes us feel unsafe."
Gondeni village headman Gilbert Mikosi said he was afraid something bad could happen to the family. He said a community meeting set for today would be able to help quell a looming crisis.
Childline SA has called on the departments of basic education and social development to act urgently.
"There's a need for some form of counselling and mediation for the children who are being accused of being satanists," said Childline SA national executive officer Dumisile Nala. "And it's not fair that children are missing out on their education."
Limpopo social development spokeswoman Adele van der Linde said a multidisciplined approach would be applied to deal with the "recurring problem".
mazibilas@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
'Satanist' kids kicked out - 10 and 8-year-old forced out of schools and their homes
A LIMPOPO family is living in fear after their children were chased away from three different schools where they were accused of witchcraft.
In the latest incident this week, a 10-year-old girl was forced to drop out of Mabilu Primary School in Gondeni village in Venda.
Since August, the little girl has had to flee two villages and two schools with her eight-year-old brother after they were accused of practising satanism and witchcraft.
At Tshitomboni village in August, the family was kicked out, and Tshinetise Primary School did the same to the children.
This was after residents reported that their children were afraid of the little girl.
Her friend had allegedly warned school playground bullies that her newcomer friend was capable of killing people, drinking their blood and setting up dates on which her enemies must die.
The family fled to neighbouring Dididi village where civic leaders and the Dididi Primary School governing body kicked all of them out after one week.
It was then that they fled to Gondeni, near Thohoyandou, where they stayed with relatives.
But the promise of a new life turned into a nightmare when Vhembe Sun, a Thohoyandou community newspaper, published a story with their names and a picture of their mother last Friday.
By Tuesday, the news report had taken over Gondeni, driving more than 20 women to approach Mabilu Primary School to convince the principal to expel the siblings.
Their family is now living in fear because they have also been isolated by the community.
"Everyone in the village fears the children; they no longer play in the street with other children," the siblings' aunt told Sowetan.
"We don't know where they are supposed to live. The girl dropped out of school on Wednesday because no one wanted to share a desk with her.
"On Tuesday she came back earlier than normal from school because another child beat her up and called her a witch."
The children's mother said neighbours held evening prayers on Tuesday, asking for protection from "witches". "This matter is causing us a lot of pain."
The siblings' grandmother said she also lives in fear. "It is common knowledge that anyone who accuses a child of witchcraft is, by implication, saying the child's guardians are witches. This is what makes us feel unsafe."
Gondeni village headman Gilbert Mikosi said he was afraid something bad could happen to the family. He said a community meeting set for today would be able to help quell a looming crisis.
Childline SA has called on the departments of basic education and social development to act urgently.
"There's a need for some form of counselling and mediation for the children who are being accused of being satanists," said Childline SA national executive officer Dumisile Nala. "And it's not fair that children are missing out on their education."
Limpopo social development spokeswoman Adele van der Linde said a multidisciplined approach would be applied to deal with the "recurring problem".
mazibilas@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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