Durban — The fiancée of the woman who was allegedly kidnapped, stoned and killed by men known to her who accused her of witchcraft, has welcomed the decision by the Durban Magistrate’s Court to deny the four men bail.
In January, Nontlahla Matoso was taken from her Malacca Road informal settlement home in Greenwood Park, allegedly by her neighbour and three other armed men after they had assaulted her in front of her children and their father, Bonginkosi Sgwebela, accusing her of witchcraft.
Bongani Zulu, Phiwenkosi Myeni, Sakhile Biyela, and Siboniso Biyela, charged with Matoso’s kidnapping and murder, had their bail application refused in court on Wednesday.
Sgwebela, speaking to the Daily News on Thursday, said he was glad justice had prevailed and the law had played its rightful role.
“I am also relieved that they will remain behind bars as the trial is heard, up until they are sentenced. What was done to the mother of my children was inhumane. Those who did what they did to her are animals. I had been very concerned that they would be released on bail. They do not deserve to be in the community.”
Members of the Greenwood Park SAPS and KwaMashu SAPS Crime Intelligence, effected the arrest of the four. Sgwebela said that their children, two girls (11 and 7 years) and a three-year-old boy, had been left traumatised by what they had witnessed, adding that they were still getting counselling from social workers.
“The youngest one still thinks his mother is coming back. He had assumed that the men who took his mother were policemen as they were armed. He still asks when his mother is coming back,” said Sgwebela.
Reacting to the court’s decision, KwaZulu-Natal Social Development spokesperson Mhlaba Memela said it was important to note that accusations of witchcraft have been used as a pretext for violence and persecution of innocent people, often leading to tragic outcomes.
“It is crucial that the court takes a strong stance against such heinous acts and ensures that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Beliefs in witchcraft are often based on myths and superstitions and are not based on any evidence or scientific reasoning.
“These beliefs can lead to individuals being unfairly targeted, discriminated against, and even harmed. It is the responsibility of the justice system to protect individuals from such harmful and unfounded beliefs and to hold those who commit acts of violence accountable for their actions.”
Memela said, in this case, going forward the court must take into account the seriousness of the crime, the harm inflicted on the victim and her family, and the fact that this was a premeditated act of violence.
“It was imperative that the court denied bail to the accused, to ensure that they do not pose a threat to the community, and to send a strong message that such acts of violence will not be tolerated,” he said.
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