'KILL ALL RITUAL MURDERERS'

Swazi Observer

24 June 2008

Kill all ritual murderers

By Nomsa Nxumalo

Mbabane

SINCE the registration process began, quite a number of people have been mur­dered.

We took a random interview whereby read­ers felt the murder of two women at Elangeni was directly linked to the election fever grip­ping many voters. This is what they had to say.

Mashesha Tfwala (marshal)

Those people are killed by their relatives. This thing is not in connection with the elections.

Sikelela Maduna (taxi driver )

The elections should stop. We have never come across such a situation. Those murderers are told by traditional healers to do such evil acts. I think they deserve the death sentence. At the same time you would think murder is legal in this country because our government fails to deal with these people accordingly.

Meshack Ntjentjeza Mngomezulu (taxi driver)

We have not experienced such murders for a long time. So it is clear that this thing is in connection with the election. I think we need to be educated about the elections so that we know the truth and the road to the traditional healers will vanish.

Jabulani Zwane

The King must reactivate the death sentence (inkemba) and those who kill by the sword should also die by the sword. These elections are a waste of time, only the King must choose the people who will go to parliament.

Khetsiwe Nkhambule (16 years)

The elec­tion plays a major role in the murdering of people. People must make sure they are safe. They must avoid hitching for lifts and be indoors early enough.

Xondile Tfwala (31) street vendor

We are very shocked and our government must take action. The murderers deserve the death penalty (inkembo)so these acts can come to an end.

Fikile Dlamini

These people are driven by the devil and they have lost their conscience (bonembew). How can they kill women like that. Women play a very important role. The election fever contributes a lot to these mur­ders. "I feel very sorry because these people may be granted bail by the courts and then come back and continue with their work.

Make Gama

I'm so hurt by the loss of those innocent souls. I feel like the whole parlia­mentary process should just stop. If things could happen as I wish, the murderers must also be cut in every part of the body.

Babe Mthembu (59 years)

I'm very disap­pointed because the murderers hide behind the elections to commit these heinous crimes. They deserve strong punishment or be cut a finger each day. We can only rest once they are arrested.

Make Simelane

Kill all of them.

RITUAL MURDERS AND ELECTIONST

Times of Swaziland
23 June 2008

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STOP SWAZI RITUAL MURDERS

Swazi Observer

20 June 2008

Stop the ritual murders – Gija

By Timothy Simelane

CHIEF Gija, the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) has warned that the increasing spate of ritual murders is evil and will instill fear on the electorate.

The Chairman says the EBC’s prayer is that the people behind the murders do not win a seat in parliament, but are arrested as a matter of urgency. At least two women have been found dead, the body of one of them mutilated and dumped in a river at Elangeni this week.

Chief Gija says if such incidents persist, they will erode the country’s peace, something contrary to the aspirations of the EBC.

“The EBC is deeply concerned and touched by the recent reports on ritual murders taking place in the country these days. We want to put it on record that we associate ourselves with His Majesty King Mswati III’s recent admonitions and condemnation of these barbaric beliefs and primitive ways of winning a seat into parliament and other public offices.

“As a Commission we hold the view that the shedding of blood especially of innocent and disadvantaged citizens (especially women and young people) will not only haunt the perpetrators but will also instill fear in the hearts of the Swazis, causing them to refrain from actively and freely participating in the electoral process, as well as in conducting their day-to-day work.”

He assured the nation that the Commission would do its best to deliver free and fair elections “that are meant to take the nation to the next level of socio-economic and political development.”

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=44770&section=main

RITUAL KILLING PRESS ADVERT

Press advert, 20 June 2008

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RITUAL MURDERS BEFORE ELECTION

Times of Swaziland

18 June 2008

What follows is an editorial comment after the killing and mutilation of two woman that were suspected to have been ritual killings connected to the national elections.

Killing the way to parliament

In football they skin chickens alive to win games; in politics it seems they chop humans alive to win seats in parliament.

It’s shocking to imagine that while some people are looking at others as possible candidates for election, some are looking at people as ideal candidates for the best human body parts. Anybody staring at you is a likely suspect.

That is the level to which this country will degenerate if recent events are anything to go by.
Call it sheer coincidence, but the number of dead bodies emerging just about everywhere in the past few months is just too high to ignore, especially during election time for a people that has demonstrated a strong belief in muti in order to win.

This satanic ancient belief is so strong it has invited calls from His Majesty the King who has issued repeated warnings against ritual murder which is commonly associated with elections.

Warning

If anything, such warning seems to have spurred them on. We must therefore take note that it takes more than just talk to deter people.

It takes properly grinding wheels of justice that do not take five years to solve a murder case.

That our judiciary is failing to conclude a case where over 40 women and children were murdered makes it opportune and lucrative to kill in Swaziland given the price wanna-be Members of Parliament(MPs) are said to be willing to pay for human body parts.

It is in times like these that the death penalty becomes most appropriate, but because of world politics we have to settle for life sentences that only help drain our resources in feeding murderers while families who lose their breadwinners starve to death.

Two mutilated bodies have been found at Sandleni since April, two more at Elangeni in a space of two weeks, not to mention individual cases elsewhere.

We could be forgiven for thinking another serial killer was on the prowl who is out to perfect what others started and got away with (for now).

poverty

But then again it could be a community member of each area who is well known to those conspiring with the murderer(s) and harboured in return for food in this poverty stricken country.

People are selling their votes for food, others are obviously selling their souls and, unfortunately, those of innocent people too.

We cannot sit silently while our relatives are being slaughtered right before our eyes.

Let us make every effort keep our families, relatives and friends alive through this election because if we don’t, these killings could be the reason we may end up with the wrong candidates in parliament. Then we’ll all be dead politically, economically, socially or otherwise.

In the meantime, we demand that the police and the army carry out a joint raid on all traditional healers’ homes in search for illegal ‘herbs and body parts’ in the interest of public safety. We also demand that the traditional healers association come out to denounce the involvement of its members in this barbaric act.

SWAZI ELECTION AND RITUAL MURDER

Swazi Observer
10 March 2008

'Buganu' can bag those votes

By Musa Ndlangamandla

INGWENYAMA says with the advent of the national elections later this year, there is no need to resort to desperate measures like ritual murder to win the people’s hearts for those who want to go to parliament or occupy positions of leadership.

The King says ‘Buganu’ has all the properties to cleanse a person's system, provide limitless energy and present them as healthy, capable individuals with the necessary brain power. He condemned the rising incidents of old people, children and the vulnerable being killed for ritual purposes, particularly when an election approaches.

Ingwenyama made the remarks over the weekend during the annual ‘Buganu’ festivities whose second-leg was at Hlane Royal Residence, which attracted about 4000 people from all regions of the country.

The colourful ceremony was attended by Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, King of the Mahlangwini Clan in the Republic of South Africa, Prime Minister Themba Dlamini and other dignitaries from a wide spectrum of the country's social and political strata.
“Buganu has many uses and very important properties. If used correctly, it is a detoxant and a cleanser of the body such that one would have boundless energy to perform all the duties that are expected of her and him in the community.

“It cleanses the system, boosts immunity and makes one alert at all times by keeping them at the premium of their health. That is all that is needed for a person to perform to the maximum of their ability and to attract the support of the constituencies, family and members of the community.

“It is, therefore, unnecessary to resort to other means in order to win people's hearts," Ingwenyama said.

Ingwenyama added that there were many uses of ‘Buganu’, which if properly explored could be turned into a money generating project for ordinary members of the public.

“It has cosmetic properties, health and immunity boosting qualities and the seed is edible and has nutritional value.

“There is so much you can do with Buganu. It is not just for fermentation and being used as an alcoholic drink. If pursued properly, projects that have to do with Buganu can turn the economies of many families around,” the King said.

In another matter, Ingwenyama called on the women folk to prepare themselves for the forthcoming elections.

He said there was power in women and if they come together they could turn the fortunes of the country around.

He warned them to take the lead, particularly in the advent of HIV and AIDS and to ensure that women take the leading role in so far as economic advancement is concerned.

Meanwhile, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi also urged women to break the 'proverbial ceiling' and forge ahead, together, in pursuit for excellence.
She invited people from other cultures to come to the country to share ideas with the Swazi people on how to be better positioned to grab the opportunities that life presents.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=42113&Section=main&articledate=Thursday,%20January%201,%201970