Durban - The mother of the 12-year-old albino boy from northern Zululand who was almost sold to a traditional healer for R100 000 is shocked when she thinks about the tragedy which almost befell her family.
Recounting the events on the day leading to the foiled human trafficking incident, Silindile Mabika, told the Daily News’s sister paper, Isolezwe, that she was struggling to come to terms with what the accused woman, her distant relative, allegedly tried to do.
Mpume Mabika, 28, accused of trying to sell the child to a traditional healer - allegedly to make muti to bring wealth, appeared in the Manguzi Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to apply for bail.
Her case was postponed to next week Tuesday because the court wanted to verify an address she is likely to use if granted bail.
The State has indicated it will oppose bail.
The mother said the police came to tell her that the accused tried to sell her albino son to a traditional healer.
The healer, James Mthembu, had contacted the police and a sting was set up, leading to the arrest of the accused.
Mthembu is known in northern KZN for his stance against the killing of albinos, which is said to be done for muti purposes.
He was publicly critical of the killing of Thandazile Nanana Msweli of Scabazini, who was an albino. Her body was mutilated after she was murdered last year.
Two men were sentenced to 20 years in jail for this.
A third, who was still a juvenile, was sentenced to 18 years.
Leonard Mabika, the boy’s father, said his son was traumatised and was always scared. He now lived with him at his workplace.
“I hope this woman will not be granted bail. What she did is similar to an attempt to kill me, in fact she has already killed me,” said Leonard.
Meanwhile, the Daily News reported on Monday that the mother of an albino boy missing for more than three weeks, said every day without him hurt, but she woke up hoping he would be found alive.
While investigating the kidnapping of Hloniphile Ntombela’s 4-year-old son, Maneliswa, police arrested Mpume.
Maneliswa had been snatched outside the rented home his mother shares with her sister, Nolwazi, 25, soon after he and his cousin left the house.
“My sister was putting her boy on her back and Maneliswa and his cousin went ahead.Barely a minute later, my sister’s child came into the house screaming that an uncle she didn’t know had taken Maneliswa,” Ntombela said.
The sisters initially thought he had gone off with one of their neighbours and went out immediately to look for him.
“We went to the houses of the people he usually hung out with, then to the homes of all his friends he plays with. As we went from house to house and he wasn’t there, I started to panic.” Realising her son had been kidnapped, Ntombela phoned the police.
“It’s so hard waking up every day without him. I am reminded that my son is missing, but at the same time, I wake up hoping and praying he will be found. I can’t lose hope, I believe he will be found alive.”
Maneliswa Ntombela has been missing since June 21.
Daily News