Remains of young Thiofelus laid to rest

The remains of Thuseo Thiofelus Tshivhi, the young boy who disappeared in 2012, were buried on Saturday at Madombidzha Cemetery. 

The ceremony was attended by community members, Cllr David Davhana, family members and Vhamusanda Vho-Ntsundeni Sinthumule.

Tshivhi was an 11-year-old Grade 4 pupil at the Tshilwavhusiku primary school when he disappeared in 2012. He went missing on 17 January that year after accompanying a neighbouring family to a mountain in Nzhelele. The neighbour, who is also a traditional healer, allegedly asked the boy to accompany her and her husband to the mountain, where they planned to collect traditional herbs. Their two grandchildren accompanied them, as well as a friend from Johannesburg.

A day after the boy went missing, the traditional healer and her husband filed a missing person’s report at the Siloam police station. This was before they notified the young boy’s family of his disappearance. Thiofelus’s family then decided to also open a case of kidnapping with the police, stating that they had not been notified and had not given permission for the boy to be taken away.

Five suspects were arrested and charged with kidnapping but were later released because the Director of Public Prosecutions cited a lack of evidence to hold them. After the boy’s disappearance, a rumour spread like wildfire that the man who had left with him had killed him for muti purposes. The rumour left the community in a frenzy, with people destroying property and engaging in acts of violence. The subsequent release of the five suspects further angered the community, and a while later one of the suspects’ house and a car were set alight at Madombidzha.

The boy’s father, Mr Takalani Mabushe, said that they became worried a day after his son went to the mountain with the neighbours. “We searched all over, but he was nowhere to be found. The search continued for a few months, but it was fruitless. I believe it was my child who was being delivered to muti killers,” he added.

The boy’s bones were later discovered by women who were looking for wood in the mountain. Forensic tests confirmed that they belonged to the boy.

The spokesperson for the family, Mr Edwin Bugana, said that they wanted the police to re-arrest the suspects. They were also awaiting the results of the forensic tests to find out what had caused the death of the boy.

Cllr David Davhana convinced the family members to bury the bones, “but I need the suspects to be brought to book,” he said. According to him, the case needs to be reopened.

Date:14 September 2015

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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