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Community leader, Thikhathali Nndanganeni signing the memorandum while Col. Ronnie van Niekerk looks on.

Huge reward for information on Mphaphuli murder

 

The prevalence of ritual murders, which has returned to haunt Vhembe has prompted the residents of the area to stand up and say enough is enough.

During the past fortnight, residents of Mbilwi, an area of several unsolved murders, took to the streets in protest of what they called police inefficiency and failure to apprehend suspects. One of the most burning cases is that of Nyelisani Mphaphuli (60) who was found killed with most of her body parts missing.

She was killed in the cruelest way with her tongue and oesophagus cut off, eyes gouged out, skin removed from her face and several other body parts were removed.

Among the demands by the Mbilwi to the police was that a reward be posted for anybody with information for compensation. The police have reacted and made a reward of R100 000 available for information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers.

Thohoyandou police spokesperson, Major Mashudu Malelo said they have so far done all in the book to catch the perpetrators, but nothing has come out of their efforts. "People are coming forward with ‘hearsay information’, which cannot be tested in a court of law. We felt that if we could put something on the table, those who witnessed the killing could come to the fore and shed light to the killing. We hope the reward will help us to get a breakthrough in the case and people would come up with tangible evidence that could be used in a court of law," said Malelo.

He indicated that the reward was not as a result of pressure from the community. "This was part of our ongoing plans to crack this case. We made an initial request of R200 000 long before the march and R100 000 was approved.”

Mbilwi civic chairperson, Mr Alson Nndanganeni said they are happy with the idea and the reward could lure those with information to come out. He said that a speedy solution of the cases could ease the volatile situation in the village. He said they are still worried about the other cases in the village.

Some of the outstanding cases are that of the murder of Portia Phaswana (21), a pupil at one of the local secondary schools. She went missing on 2 October 2009 and the community searched for her everywhere but she was nowhere to be found. After three weeks, her body was found dead in a deserted house with parts of her body missing. Surprisingly, the place where she was found was searched before and she was not there. No arrests have been made in connection with the case.

The case of a woman who was attacked by thugs in May this year also angered the residents. She was fortunate to escape with her life and she managed to identify one of the attackers. The matter was reported to the police, but no arrests have been made.

"We are tired as residents, how many more people should be killed before police take action, the continuous killing of innocent people without any arrest being effected is a source of much concern. The patience of our people and their dignity is being trampled on. We are treated like headless chickens and we have over time realised that people with money can get away with murder, this should come to an end before the community boils,"  said Nndanganeni.

Those with information could furnish it to the investigating officer and member of the Task Team W/O Pila at 082 759 5001 or Maj Mashudu Malelo at 082 468 8961. All information would be treated in the strictest confidence.

The message is clear. What wrong have we done to deserve this?
Mbilwi civic chairperson, Mr Thikhathali Nndanganeni reading out the memorandum at the police station during the march.
The banana plantation where the body of the 60-year-old Nyelisani Mphaphuli was found.
 

Date:29 August 2014

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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