Witches offended by ANC accusations of witchcraft
South African Witches object strongly to inflammatory and offensive accusations of “witchcraft” uttered by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile at the Lusaka Community Hall in Nyanga on 7 April.
“This thing of witchcraft is when a witch does nothing for the people but they still get re-elected. This is what we find ourselves in here in the Western Cape. We are being governed by witches,” Mbalula told the crowd at the Lusaka Community Hall. “These witches are oppressing us, they are trampling on us. Where are the tokoloshes and the (sangomas) so that we can chase these witches away? […] “It is witchcraft to let people live with faeces inside their own homes and have no proper toilets. This is the same province where farmworkers are not paid with money but in the dop system.” […] “It is the same place where our people are called refugees. What do you call that? Witchcraft,” he added. [0]
The South African Pagan Rights Alliance, which represents South African Witches, calls on the African National Congress and the ANC-led government to cease making accusations of witchcraft and to desist from using a political platform to incite witch-hunts against opposition political parties by denigrating the dignity and standing of South African citizens who are Witches.
We remind the Minister and the ANC provincial secretary that according to Act 3 of 1957, accusations of witchcraft are punishable by a fine of up to R400,000 or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
Accusations of witchcraft amount to incitement to violence in South Africa. ANC members therefore contravene the electoral act by inciting violence.
We call on the ANC and South African government to condemn ongoing accusations of witchcraft and violent witch-hunts in South Africa.
News Sources:
[0]
DA’s governing of WCape is ‘witchcraft’
Cape Times | Xolani Koyana | 7 April 2014
http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/da-s-governing-of-wcape-is-witchcraft-1.1672133
DA using witchcraft in Cape – Mbalula
IOL | Xolani Koyana | 7 April 2014
http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/da-using-witchcraft-in-cape-mbalula-1.1672180#.U0MFZaiSwrw
Further references:
Witch-hunts in South Africa (2014)
http://www.paganrightsalliance.org/advocacy/
REMEMBER THEIR NAMES – Victims of witch-hunts in South Africa 2000 to 2013
The following represents available published news reports of witch-hunts in South Africa for the periods 2000 to 2005 and 2010 to 2013.
http://www.paganrightsalliance.org/remember-their-names/
Media coverage of this press release:
Witches incensed by Mbalula’s comments
The Citizen | Alex Mitchley | 8 April 2014
http://citizen.co.za/157136/witches-incensed-mbalulas-comments/
Witches want an apology from Mbalula
IOL | Xolani Koyana | 9 April 9 2014
http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/witches-want-an-apology-from-mbalula-1.1673382
Pagans insulted by Mbalula’s statements on the Western Cape
SAPRA Interview with Kieno Kammies
https://soundcloud.com/primediabroadcasting/pagans-insulted-by-mbalulas
Cartoon by Dov Fedler published in The Star:
