Traditional healers have requested Mpumalanga Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Sibongile Manana to protect them from the people who accuse them of witchcraft and end up killing or assaulting.
Wearing their red attires, members of the Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) told MEC Manana at an imbizo held at Mayflower next to the Swaziland border that they want the police to protect them from the people who turn against them.
They said when people are angry; they call them witches and just attack them without any reasons. It is in that regard that they came to the Imbizo to ask Manana for protection.
Other people complained about the police station that it was far away from where they reside and it is difficult for them report to cases. The police station situated at a residential area serves eleven villages of at least 65km far away and a population of 82 000.
However, stock-theft was a serious and a leading crime in the area as most people complained that their cattle and goats were stolen and sold at a local market place.
The people further told MEC Manana that there was no enough police visibility as the station complained about the lack of vehicles.
In response, the MEC said people should not attack the traditional healers or any other person, adding that statistics revealed that at least 80 percent of the population used traditional healers for assistance.
“Most people go to the traditional healers for various needs, they are part of the society and we should not accuse or kill them. If you suspect any wrongdoing by the traditional healers, report at the police and let the law take its course,” said Manana.
She also encouraged the people to brand their livestock so that it would be easy to find and for the police to effectively investigate cases of stock-theft.
Speaking at the same event, South African Police Service (SAPS) Provincial Commissioner Thulani Ntobela announced that a new police station for Mayflower would be built in the financial year 2011/12 as the station was priority number six.
He said SAPS want to recruit local people to join the service. To increase visibility, he explained that three vehicles had been purchased for the station.
Commissioner Ntobela explained that although people complained about the station, there was however worse stations that did not have even minimum resources.
“Sector policing needs resources and sectors where crime rate is high, will receive priority in terms of allocating resources such as vehicles. In future, vehicles will be specifically allocated to sectors as soon as they arrive at the stations,” concluded Ntobela.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Tel: 013 766 4055
Cell: 082 678 1450
Issued by: Department for Safety, Security and Liaison, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
8 March 2010
Source: Department for Safety, Security and Liaison, Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/safety_and_security/)
