Healers disown suspect sangoma

Phutunang community members stand behind a glass partition while looking at Nora Mazibuko who appeared with three men in the Galeshewe Magistrate's Court for the abduction of Keitumetse Magwadibane. Picture: Soraya Crowie

Phutunang community members stand behind a glass partition while looking at Nora Mazibuko who appeared with three men in the Galeshewe Magistrate's Court for the abduction of Keitumetse Magwadibane. Picture: Soraya Crowie

Published Aug 2, 2016

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Kimberley - The four people arrested following the disappearance of five-year-old Keitumetse Magwadibane almost three weeks ago on Monday abandoned their bail application in the Galeshewe Magistrate's Court.

A large group of people, including traditional healers, Galeshewe community members and members of the crime-fighting organisation Wanya Tsotsi, protested outside the court as they waited for the four accused to appear.

Nora Mazibuko, who is believed to be a sangoma, Joseph Mbogo, Maruping Kwabane and Clarence Mkhonto are facing charges of abducting Keitumetse, who went missing on July 14 after going to a local tuck shop with a friend.

All four accused indicated during their appearance on Monday that they wanted to abandon their bail applications.

It also emerged in court that three of the accused, Mbogo, Mazibuko and Kwabane, have previous convictions but there was no indication of the nature of the charges for which they had been convicted.

Meanwhile, the group of around 20 traditional healers who gathered outside the court, said they were there to support the missing girl's family and did not condone the alleged actions of the accused, particularly Mazibuko.

The provincial secretary of the Traditional Practitioners, Benny Collins, said the incident had tarnished their profession.

"People now look at us as if we are murderers, which we are not. We are healers, not killers. If a traditional healer is involved in any way with the abduction, we call on her to return the child to her parents - whether she is dead or alive, she needs to be returned.

"This matter has given us as healers a bad name. People now think that we are practising witchcraft. We are trained healers and do not hurt people. We also do not have any record of the accused and we do not know where she was trained as she is not on our database. However, we wish for this matter to end and for the child to be returned," said Collins.

Spokesman for Wanya Tsotsi, Pantsi Obusitse, said they were happy that the accused did not get bail.

"It is in the interest of justice that the accused remain behind bars until we find the whereabouts of the child. We applaud the community for their dedication in the matter. This sends a clear message that we all need to take care of each other's children and treat all children like they are our own."

Obusitse said they had not given up hope of finding the child.

"We will follow up every piece of information we get. We will work in partnership with the police and search until we find the child. We will remain hopeful that there will be a breakthrough in this matter."

The accused will remain in custody until their next court appearance in September.

The community members, after the court proceedings, indicted that they intended to attend every appearance of the accused until the matter was settled.

DFA

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