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9 Feb 2012

MEC for Transport Community Safety and Liaison, Mr Willies Mchunu has welcomed the court decisions to deny bail to the 10 accused of burning two senior citizens in Lindelani.

The suspects appeared at the Ntuzuma magistrate court yesterday (8 February 2012) where they were denied bail.

The two senior citizens, Elsa Dubazane was burnt to death in her home and her husband Raphael Zulu also died when a tyre was put around his neck and set alight. The community had accused the two of witchcraft.

Following the killing of the two senior citizens 11 community members were arrested. The eleventh accused was sent for psychiatric assessment.

Mchunu described witchcraft as a very sensitive matter and urged communities not take the law into their own hands. Mchunu expressed his welcome towards the decision and appealed that community members respect the decision.

“We are very concerned that recently we have experienced an increasing number of cases where communities are taking the law into their own hands. Allegations of witchcraft are very sensitive and remain a complicated subject. We therefore urge communities to work with the police where there are allegations of this nature. I also urge communities to raise and defend elders in their communities.

The decision to deny the suspect bail is an indication that this is a very serious case.

I support the courts decision to deny the accused bail. I am alarmed at the high number of people who take the law into their own hands because of unfounded proof. If people suspect any criminal activity they should report it to the police so that they can arrest the suspects. The killing of these senior citizens was inhuman and cruel. I urge other communities not to take the law into their own hands but to rather hand them over to the authorities,” said Mchunu

Enquiries:
Kwanele Ncalane
Cell: 079 699 5755

Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Community Safety and Liaison
9 Feb 2012

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