NEWS & ANALYSIS

"Killed for her brain! Sangoma attacked to steal her super powers" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, May 28 2013

Daily Sun (May 28 2013)- WHEN sangoma Nomshado realised that her life was in danger, she gave her masked attackers her money. They took the money - but then hacked her to death with bush knives anyway. IT APPEARS THEY WANTED HER BRAIN TO MAKE SUPER-POWERFUL MUTHI!

Police have confirmed that the sangoma's brain matter was scattered around the area, but they could not say how much of it had been removed. "There was also a basin and a bush knife at the scene," said Colonel Jay Naicker.

On Thursday residents woke up to the shocking news that sangoma Nomshado Badula (54) from Stanger, originally from Bizana, Eastern Cape, had been chopped to death by unknown men in a nearby bush.

Pholelwa Badula (45), Nomshado's sister in-law and sister to Nomshado's sangoma husband, said Nomshado and a trainee sangoma, Khuthala Khomo, had gone to dig for herbs in nearby bushes.

The trainee told Pholelwa that as they were digging two men attacked them with bush knives. She said they were wearing balaclavas and gloves and demanded money. Even when Nomshado gave them money, however, they went ahead and killed her. "They wanted to take her life," said Pholelwa. "I am sure those people were paid by someone who wanted to steal her brain to mix it with muthi, in the hope of stealing her superpowers." She said Nomshado had many clients.

Pholelwa said the trainee who survived the attack went into hiding in Eastern Cape over the weekend because she feared that she might be killed as well.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

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