COMMUNITY KILL THE MONKEY ON SUSPICION OF WITCHCRAFT.
By Emmanuel Mthimunye
Vezubuhle : Residents of Vezubuhle in Kwa-Mhlanga were shocked by the sudden appearance of a monkey in the community last week Thursday. Community members said they tried to call the police and, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to fetch the creature, but that was not successful hence they ended up beating it until it succumbed to death and they burnt it. Community members said they suspected that animals like monkeys are used for witchcraft, therefore they can’t have such creatures around the village because it’s going make them to be uncomfortable.
The monkey was seen by one of the residents climbing the tree to the summit and harshly called people to come see it.
“ I was on my way to fetch my daughter from school when I saw this monkey climbing the tree and I called my nephew and other community members who were close by that time, we tried to call the police to come and get it or get SPCA to come and fetch it, but we were not successful because couldn’t get hold of the police and people ended up taking this matter into their hands”, said Philisile Sibanyoni.
Community members then came in large numbers and they retrieved it from the tree and they beat it until it was dead.
According to the residents it is said that reason why they killed it, it’s because most people believe that such creatures are used for witchcraft or performing evil things, therefore they’re not supposed to be around people because they make them to be uncomfortable and that’s they killed it.
One fuming resident said they were hoping that it would run back to a certain household so that they can see its owner and deal with him or her.
Councillor David Mokoena was called to the scene by the residents, but he didn’t pitch because he was having a meeting at Kwa- Makerana Tribal Authorities Office, however he sent a message to the residents stating that there is nothing he can do in dealing with this matter, he further said that he also tried calling the police and the SPCA to attend this saga, but he couldn’t get hold of the relevant people
Residents are pleading to the Thembisile Local Municipality cut down all the trees especially the long ones because they believe that they will bring them snakes or other dangerous creatures or even worse they could fall on top of the power lines and cause a huge devastating damage than this one.
“We urge the municipality to cut these long trees because they are now affecting us in a very bad way. Every time when we try to cut them down the municipality would tell us to stop because these trees they need to be cut by professional people who are responsible for that job, hence some of them are under power lines, therefore if an ordinary person cuts them, that person could die or be badly injured.
Therefore now we are pleading to the municipality to help us with these trees in a professional manner because we can’t live with monkeys and snakes here” said one community member .
Residents are still wondering and asking themselves questions of where does monkey comes from they still want to know that who is the owner of it so that they could check if whether that person has legal documents that permits him/her to have such a creature as a pet.
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