Traditional healer's house torched in an apparent revenge attack in Matshepe, North West
The house of a traditional healer accused of having a hand in the murder of a local chief, was burnt down in an apparent revenge attack
A traditional healer's house was torched in Matshepe outside Mahikeng in an apparent revenge attack, following the murder of a local chief.
The house was burnt down on Monday.
North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said chief Gopane Phillip Motuba, 65, was robbed and killed, allegedly by two unknown men who entered his house through an unlocked front door at about 4.30am on Saturday.
He said a case of robbery and murder was under investigation.
"Subsequent to the incident, houses belonging to a male villager, suspected to be responsible for the chief's death, were set alight on Monday, August 28.
"The houses include those used for training and consultation by traditional healers (Sangoma).
In addition, two vehicles were torched, while the third one was damaged," Mokgwabone said.
The traditional healer, Thabo Mosupa, said he suspected his house was looted before it was torched.
"There are items that were removed before the house was burnt, the main bedroom is empty, there are no mattress springs. If the bed is burnt, there should be springs left. In the lounge where we had sofas, there are no springs," he told IOL in a telephone interview.
He said the incident that let to his house being torched could be traced to June 28 when he offered refuge to a Lesotho national whom the community accused of stealing cattle.
"The Mosotho man was chased by a group of people armed with dangerous weapons. I ran into my yard for safety and I refused to hand him over to them. I told them I will only hand him over to the police or Kgosi (chief).
"There are two chiefs in the village. The group told me Kgosi Motuba was the relevant one, as he knew about the alleged theft of cattle," he said.
Mosupa took the man to Kgosi Motuba because the police took a long time to arrive.
On the way to Kgosi Motuba he met two police officers and handed the man over to them.
He went to Kgosi Motuba with the police officers to tell him that he had handed the man to the police.
"Kgosi Motuba was not home, but we managed to talk to him over the phone and we left," he said.
Mosupa said he later learnt that the Mosotho man ended up in the hands of a group of villagers he identified as "patrollers"
"The group killed him. His body was found dumped in a field," he said.
Mosupa said ever since the incident in June, he was accused of protecting a man whom the community "wanted to deal with".
He said he received information that he should relocate from Matshepe or else his house would be burnt.
He added that a young man told him last week that his house would be torched on Friday or Monday.
"They finally burnt it," he said.
Brigadier Mokgwabone said a local road between Mahikeng and Itsoseng was barricaded on Monday and the police arrested 39 people, 11 men and 28 women for public violence.
"The arrests led to the convergence of members of Matshepe community in Lomanyaneng police station to demand the release of the suspects. However, they later dispersed. The suspects, aged between 22 and 55, are expected to appear before the Molopo Magistrate’s Court soon," he said.
Mokgwabone said the police in the Ngaka Molema District were on high alert.
He said provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, condemned the incidents, which he said were a clear sign of disrespect for the rule of law and cannot be tolerated.
"He (Kwena) urged the community to work together with the police to ensure justice, rather than taking the law into their own hands, which is unlawful and unacceptable," Mokgwabone said.
IOL