LIMPOPO – Randitsheni of Thohoyandou, who holds a Doctorate in human and social sciences in African studies from the University of Venda, said politicians use this type of muti in order to be feared and not to be challenged when campaigning, while pastors seek power in order to stay on in power “forever”.
He related to CV some of the methods used by traditional ways.
“Traditional leaders can even smear human fat on their faces, so that villagers should fear them and can’t be accused of things. Some traditional leaders cook beef and mix it with human flash to be fearless, while others perform this ritual as part of their cultural practices. If you’d check, you’d see when people install a chief, someone usually gets lost and dies. When initiation schools open, someone ‘must’ die at the closing of the bush school. Victims are usually women and children,” he said.
According to Randitsheni, Vhembe rates as the number one area in terms of ritual killings: Mutale, then Thulamela, followed by Makhado and Musina.
“Business people seek up the services of sangomas to get richer than others and these practices happen in the deep rural areas.”
He further claim the sangoma practices are not unique to South Africa.
“I have done my research well. Participates were inmates who had been arrested for ritual murders, survivors, sangomas, politicians and even business people.”
He said he was interested in the topic of ritual killings in 2004, when muti murder victim Maanda Sendedza was ritually killed and his genitals and tongue removed in the attack.
The President of the Vhembe Traditional Medical Practitioners, Mbulaheni ‘Mbilivhili’ Neluvhola concurred with Randitsheni on some of his findings.
He said sangomas involved in ritual murders are often bogus sangomas who dent the image of what is known as Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).
Neluvhola said “real” traditional medical practitioners don’t use human blood in their practices.
“Nowadays prophets are hyenas in sheep’s skins. I have never heard that human body parts can make a person rich. People should advertise their business if they want to get rich,” said Neluvhola.
