Overview
- Victim Nokhansala Sidiki, 75, was taken from her home in Ngcobo, accused of witchcraft, beaten with a plank, and drowned at a nearby stream on 17 May.
- Eastern Cape police arrested two women, aged 26 and 28, who are in custody as investigators say more suspects linked to the attack are being sought.
- Detectives have opened a murder case, gathered witness statements, and collected forensic evidence, and they urged tips via Crime Stop and the MySAPS app.
- Provincial Commissioner Vuyisile Ncata condemned the killing as a savage attack on a vulnerable elder, and Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta warned of a recent spike in similar deaths.
- South Africa’s Witchcraft Suppression Act outlaws accusing someone of being a witch or seeking harm through alleged witchcraft, with penalties up to 20 years in prison, and a recent Mthatha High Court case drew a 28-year sentence in a related murder.