‘Muti’ scam comes to Sandton

She said the incident occurred in the same way as Esther Kekana’s had in Hyde Park. She was on her way to work on Fifth Street in Sandton, when a man approached her to show her that she had a black stain on her.

“Just as we were trying to figure out where it came from, a white Polo stopped next to us and the people inside said they were the police,” explained Nthodi.

Like Kekana, Nthodi was also pushed into the car by the man she was standing with who also got inside after her.

“The men inside the car said they saw the person who put the black stain on me and they drove to him and told him to get into the car,” said Nthodi.

She said the man took out a container with a black substance and said he uses it as muti to steal people’s money. “The other man who pushed me into the car then said he had R5 000 with him and it disappeared after the man applied the muti on him,” said Nthodi.

The men then asked her to check her money and see if any was missing. “I was very scared and I kept telling them that I had nothing on me,” she said.

They kept asking Nthodi if she had money on her or a bank card and said they could take her to the bank to check if her money was still there.

Nthodi said, “I kept telling them that I had no money on me and no bank card.”

She said the men drove her back to where they picked her up and told her to get out. “I was very traumatised by the whole thing. I even needed counselling afterwards. I want people in Sandton to know that this is not only happening in Hyde Park but also in Sandton,” she said.

Captain Kym Cloete, spokesperson for the Sandton police said no incidents have been reported at the police station. “[However] we are aware of such a crime trend and we urge the community to remain alert this festive season,” she said.