Limpopo chiefs take stand against muti killers
Vha-venda King, Toni Mphephu Ramabulana, led a concession of various stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment to fighting crime and breaking the silence on ritual murders happening in Vhembe.
LIMPOPO -Ramabulana was joined by the Pastors Forum, the police, vha-Vhenda traditional healers and senior traditional leaders for a meeting at Dzanni Kraal recently to discuss possible strategies for curbing the ongoing ritual murders in the area.Thohoyandou Police Commissioner, Brig Willy Mashaba, said the police are concerned about the ongoing ritual murders in the Vhembe district.
“We condemn ritual killings in the strongest terms and we urge communities to help end these evil deeds because we cannot do it alone. The police are here to serve the community and for us to ensure these ritual murders are solved and the criminals brought to book, we need the community’s cooperation,” he said.
Ramabulana urged the communities not to take the law into their own hands.
“We understand that everyone is angry about the recent surge of ritual killings, but we must allow justice to take its course. We strongly condemn the use of human body parts for rituals and we believe that the people committing these murders will be arrested and charged,” he said.
“Today we have spoken with one voice and we believe the ancestors have heard us and that the senseless killing of our people will stop.”
He requested the senior traditional leaders to invite different structures within their respective villages to discuss more strategies for curbing the ritual killings.
Vhembe Traditional Medical Practitioners President, Mbilivhili Neluvhola, said people should refrain from the belief that human body parts form part of muti. “Human body parts should never be prescribed as muti. The people who promise you success through the provision of a body part are misleading you and are criminals who should be reported to the police. It is your unity and strength as the people of the province, and Vhembe in particular, that will make criminals realise they have no place among us. The fight against crime can only be won if we refuse to cooperate with criminals in any way,” he said.
Dean Alunamutwe Rannditsheni of the Vhembe Pastors Forum said they pray to God for divine intervention.
“We want all unattended and unsolved cases of ritual murders to be investigated as a matter of urgency,” said Rannditsheni.
“The Bible forbids us to kill and who are they to murder innocent people senselessly? The church has a responsibility to ensure people are living freely and enjoy life given to them by the Creator. We need to stand up together to win this war against evil,” he said.
