Mother arrested for attempted murder on her eight-year-old son

The Ficksburg Magistrates Court was packed to capacity during a brief appearance of a controversial traditional healer and the mother of an eight-year-old boy who was severely burnt with petrol.

On Friday, 16 May, the traditional healer (40) and the mum (39), who worked as a firefighter, faced attempted murder, child abuse, child neglect and defeating the end of justice charges.

The two allegedly set an eight-year-old boy alight with petrol to remove what they believed was a tokoloshe inside him.

The court heard that the boy’s mum took him to a local prophet who prophesied that the boy had a tokoloshe and advised the mum to take him to a traditional healer.

It is alleged that the sangoma advised that the boy be burnt with petrol which resulted in him suffering severe burn wounds to the body, neck, hands and legs.

The court heard the boy suffered 60-80% burn wounds.

Family spokeswoman Malerato Matsaseng expressed her heartfelt sentiments and said the boy’s mum and the sangoma must face justice and a long jail sentence.

“As the family, we’re terrified. The mother hid the boy since January, and we had no idea where they were until we searched everywhere. She lied about the boy being burnt at school. We were shocked to discover the truth.

“He was burnt intentionally to remove a ‘tokoloshe’, as we heard. His life has totally changed. He developed a low self-esteem,” she said.

Gatvol members of Marry Raletoane Foundation and the community were outraged. They staged a silent protest outside the Ficksburg Magistrates Court during the accused’s appearance.

Chairwoman of the Marry Raletoane Foundation, Matshele Raletoane, called for justice to sentence the accused to life imprisonment.

“The mother is a reckless woman and deserves severe punishment. After visiting the family, I witnessed the boy’s severe burns and learned about his siblings’ difficult circumstances. We call on no bail against the accused,” she said.

Setsoto Local Municipality Speaker of the council, Paka Mavaleliso, who is also a councillor in Ward 17 where the incident occurred, said he has known the sangoma as a “cool person”.

“I was surprised to learn that he’s the one who allegedly participated in this heinous crime. Our area has a high rate of gender-based violence and other crimes,” he said.

The case was postponed to Wednesday, 21 May, for formal a bail application.