Authorities in North West have welcomed the arrest of eight suspects following the brutal murder of an elderly woman in Magogong.
The woman was brutally murdered after she was accused of practising witchcraft by community members.
Last week, IOL reported that an elderly woman had been brutally murdered at Magogong village in Taung, North West, after she was accused of being linked to the disappearance and subsequent murder of an 11-year-old girl.
The girl disappeared on October 13, before her lifeless body was found. The accusations of witchcraft were made after the disappearance of the child.
“The child’s partially burned body was found inside a pit latrine, a few days after she was reported missing. The community went on a rampage and torched the old woman’s house before killing her and attacked her son, who is now in hospital,” according the North West department of community safety and transport management.
Following the incidents, North West MEC for community safety and transport management, Wessels Morweng has visited the family of the murdered child, and the family of the slain woman.
Morweng’s visit to the two families aimed to comfort the relatives of the deceased, but also to gather more information on the events.
After meeting with both families, Morweng promised that no stone will be left unturned in finding the killers of both child and the woman.
"As promised when I was there on Wednesday that we will not sleep until those who are responsible are brought to book. I have to congratulate the police for their swift response in ensuring that those who are responsible are brought to book” said Morweng.
“We will not rest until we are able to unravel these mysterious incidents happening in that village. We are not a banana republic. There is law and order that must be upheld, our community must have trust in us to protect them and we will do just that.”
The eight suspects were arrested in the early hours of Friday in Magogong for different crimes including attempted murder, kidnapping, arson, murder and malicious damage to property.
The arrested people - seven men and and a woman aged between 29 and 45, are expected to appear before the Taung Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Investigations into the matter still ongoing, the the North West department of community safety and transport management said more people could be arrested.
IOL