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SA Miners Used Magic 2 Confront Police But It Failed Them by henrychubayo: 3:48pm On Aug 21, 2012 |
SOME of the 34 miners killed in Thursday’s Marikana mine massacre may have believed a Mbizana traditional healer’s muti had made them invincible, colleagues said yesterday. Two survivors of the shooting told the Daily Dispatch yesterday they were made to believe that if they used muti provided by a Mbizana traditional healer police bullets would not hurt them. Thirty-four miners were killed and at least 78 were wounded when police opened fire on a charging crowd at Lonmin’s platinum mine at Marikana in the North West last week. “Our leaders on that day told us we must leave or we will be killed,” said Nothi Zimanga, who hails from Ntabankulu. “We refused because we knew their weapons would not work on us as the inyanga (traditional healer) who arrived during the week told us so.” Zimanga said many of the miners drank a brown muti to strengthen them ahead of the confrontation with police. “They were cut several times on their upper body and a black substance was smeared on the wounds. “They were then told when they confront the police they must not look back and must just charge forward. If you look back then the muti will not work.” Zimanga said he did not use the muti, and stayed at the back of the crowd. Another miner, Bulelani Malawana from Mthatha, offered a similar description of the muti ceremony, but also turned it down himself. “I was offered it for R1000. I turned it down as I didn’t believe in it,” he said. “After they got the muti people were so aggressive. They just wanted to fight. They felt so invincible,” Malawana said. Academic and political commentator Somadoda Fikeni said the use of muti by miners indicated they still believed in traditional religion. “We know every community has its traditional medicine and spirituality and that is no exception for these miners. Whether it works is another issue, but it has psychological effects. “So when you hear of these things it reminds us the embrace of traditional beliefs is still more widespread than we realise,” Fikeni said. The inyanga alleged to have administered the muti, known in Mbizana as Nzabe, is renowned in the area. Several people who spoke to the Dispatch believe his treatments are effective. A taxi driver who declined to be named said he had used Nzabe’s muti before and it had worked. “During the taxi war in the area three years ago I used the muti and was never wounded even when shot at. They just didn’t use it correctly,” he said. The taxi driver said it could cost up to R3000 for a treatment that lasted for days and not just hours. Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) president and ANC MP Chief Phathekile Holomisa told the Dispatch he saw nothing wrong with the miners consulting a traditional healer. “I’m not saying I condone the use of muti, but there is nothing wrong, especially on the side of the healer. “If he is genuine and knows what he is doing to fortify the warriors … but it is a different case if he’s a fake . “He did not say they must go to war. When the healer was called, these miners had already taken a decision to go to war. What was required from him was to administer the medicine.” Holomisa said it was normal for men to strengthen and fortifying themselves. Yesterday, chiefs from the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and their counterparts from North West arrived in the Marikana community in an effort to bring peace to the area. They were accompanied by a delegation from Contralesa. “We meet the miners tomorrow morning,” Holomisa said. President Jacob Zuma has declared a week of national mourning for the slain miners. He has also appointed a committee comprising North West Premier Thandi Modise and nine cabinet ministers to co- ordinate and lead all support to families and relatives. Only 27% of the morning-shift workforce at the mine showed up for work yester day morning. Lonmin spokesman Abey Kgotle said some workers turned up but didn’t do much. “This is a reasonably low turn-out, but probably around what was expected under the circumstances,” Kgotle said. Parliament today convenes a National Assembly sitting to discuss the shooting, ANC chief whip Mathole Motshekga said. Family members looking for information on missing loved ones following the mine violence last week have been advised to call 0800-668-690. — mphumziz@dispatch.co.za |
Re: SA Miners Used Magic 2 Confront Police But It Failed Them by henrychubayo: 3:50pm On Aug 21, 2012 |
Source. dispatch.co.za/miners-took-invincible-muti/ |
Re: SA Miners Used Magic 2 Confront Police But It Failed Them by tpia5: 4:52pm On Aug 21, 2012 |
some of these people just provide victims for killing. |
Re: SA Miners Used Magic 2 Confront Police But It Failed Them by henrychubayo: 9:09am On Aug 22, 2012 |
tpia@:I agree with you. |
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