Four people are currently in custody in the South African village of Mbuzini after an 80-year-old woman was hacked with a hoe and subsequently burned alive in her house for being a suspected witch.
The woman, Dumisile Mahlangu had been living alone since her husband's death and with no adult children in the area, was accused of witchcraft following allegations that she had been caught "sprinkling something" in a neighbour's yard last Saturday. After word spread that "a witch had been caught", a mob forcibly took the accused witch back to her house where she was repeatedly struck with a hoe. She was then locked in her house which was then set on fire leaving her to burn to death inside.
In a statement released by police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi, where was no proof that the old woman was guilty of any wrongdoing and that eyewitnesses should have called the police to prevent mob action. Police have since arrested four people, aged 22 to 44, including the owners of the house that the accused witch was supposedly cursing. The investigation is still underway and other arrests are also expected in future. he arrested suspects have been charged with murder and arson and will appear in the Tonga magistrate's court next week.
Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma has publicly stated that it is "disheartening that the elderly community often suffered such accusations from sections of the society." Along with warning villagers that they would be prosecuted over any other witch killings, he also directed police to ensure that those people arrested for these crimes face the full might of the law.
As for the villagers themselves, they have already refused to allow Mahlangu to be buried in their village and accused police of protecting witches. “This woman have been bewitching us here... we caught her in the act. We don't want her to be buried in our village. Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be protesting outside the court because they arrested people who saved the community from the witch,” said a community member when talking to the press and who who asked not to be named.
Belief in witchcraft remains strong in many parts of Africa, including South Aftrica's Mpumalanga province where Mbuzini is located. Elderly villagers living alone are often accused of being responsible for any calamity that occurs though accusations of witchcraft can be made against people of all ages, including children, albinos, the disabled, and the mentally ill. Children, especially orphans, remain particularly vulnerable and may be subjected to violent exorcism rituals to "purge" them of the evil spirits possessing them. Witchcraft accusation are also becoming increasingly common in immigrant communities due to the influence of evangelical movements.
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