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Mpumalanga families accused of witchcraft left homeless

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Police in Acornhoek Bushbuckridge Mpumalanga are investigating cases of arson and intimidation amongst others.

This after residents of Arthur City in Acornhoek went on a rampage on Saturday, and attacked five families. The families are accused of practising witch craft in the community.

The houses of the five families were vandalise and torched.

In one of the houses a number of cattle were spotted roaming around, while only a dog was seen at another house.

Police had to relocate the families to a place of safety, in a bid to protect them against the angry community.

The houses are painted by a dark smoke, with all doors and windows broken.

The families are now housed at the Acornhoek police station.

Amongst the families is that of 69 year old Ruth Mambane.

Mambane says she believes that the attack on her family is based on jealousy.

She appealed to the police to assist here to return to her home:

“This place is not good for us, I have left my live stock at home, now people are busy ploughing, I have missed out. Our children are supposed to go to school, where I’m a going to get money, while I’m seating in this place.”

The attack on these five families occurred while grade 12’s are still writing their final examinations.

Grade twelve learner Charmain Moagi, whose family is among those that have been forcefully removed from Arthur City, cried when explaining the disruption she suffered.

“This has affected me a lot, because I have gone to the exam rooms without studying and I know that the papers that I have read in my examination, some of them I didn’t pass, because I didn’t get time to study and this affected me a lot because I am failing.”

Acornhoek police spokesperson Mpho Nonyane, says police are following on a few leads.

“We have received information that one of the suspects, went to one of the victim’s houses, where its alleged on arrival he accused the victim of witch craft; thereafter he went out to blow a whistle to call the community and the community came and started to throw stones in the house and started burning five houses.”

The Bushbuckridge local municipality condemned the attack on the five families.

The municipality promised to provide accommodation and food to the five families on Monday.

 

 

 

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