Traditional healers take a stand against the killing of mentally ill women
‘She was not a witch, she had schizophrenia’ - Elizabeth Nkosi.
Traditional healers’ organisation along with the CPF, ANC women’s league representatives, Emndeni community members, and other stakeholders, marched against femicide and the killing of Jostina Sangweni who was accused of witchcraft on Thursday.
The agenda was to say no to stigma and discrimination against people with schizophrenia and dementia which came about after mentally Sangweni, who was a traditional healer was allegedly beaten and set alight by Mapetla community members.
Sangweni, unfortunately, succumbed to burn injuries on April 5, at Baragwanath Hospital, where she was rushed to on the day of the incident. The march proceeded to Mapetla where Sangweni was allegedly beaten and set alight
[also read] – Two appear in court for killing mentally ill woman
Sangweni was diagnosed with schizophrenia in March. “Few days after my mother was diagnosed, she was taken by her sister to Mapetla to seek help in relevant places. My mother was not in the right state of mind at that time as she would hear people’s voices, she was confused. She was in an area which she was not familiar with and when she walked into a stranger’s yard, she didn’t know where exactly she was.” explained Elizabeth Nkosi, the second born and a daughter of Sangweni.
“Suddenly there was a video of her circulating on social media and she was accused of being a witch. My mother was not a witch, she had schizophrenia. We plead with the community to work hand in hand with the police in apprehending those involved in this atrocity. It is very painful that we had to lose a mother in this manner,” she added.
The traditional healers were furious that they had to lose one of their own in this manner. “Sangweni was not okay as she had recently been diagnosed with mental illness, hence she found herself in someone’s yard unaware. Akekho umthakathi ohamba egqokile (no witch walks around with clothes on),” Said Gogo Nojongo Maphosa.
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