After claiming to have been terrorised for more than two years by a vigilante group, called Tshiswole tsha Makonde, who worked under the former acting traditional leader of Makonde, Mr Nyadzeni Ravhura, angry residents went on a rampage on Sunday, 19 February, and burnt Ravhura's supermarket down.
Singing and chanting songs about being free at last from Tshiswole tsha Makonde, the residents marched to the Makonde royal house at the royal palace on Sunday morning to verify the rumours that Nyadzeni Ravhura had been chased out of the royal palace. The moment the new Makonde royal council confirmed that Nyadzeni Ravhura would no longer be parading himself as acting traditional leader of Makonde, since he was doing that without the knowledge of the royal house, they went to the vigilante group's offices to "help" Ravhura leave the village. But even before the residents arrived at the offices, Ravhura had already been whisked away to safety by his bodyguards. This apparently did not please the angry crowd.
Leaders of the local South African National Civic Organization (Sanco) tried very hard to control the infuriated residents, telling them to protest peacefully, but in vain. In broad daylight, they went to Ravhura's shop and set it on fire, while some of the notorious Tshiswole tsha Makonde members, who were lingering around the area, pushed Ravhura's luxurious black BMW, which was parked near the shop, away.
Passing cars and taxis hooted while the angry crowd danced and ululated in front of the burning shop. One of the marchers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she was also a victim of Tshiswole tsha Makonde. "Those guys are very cruel. They beat me up just because I was walking home alone one night, saying I was inviting men to rape me, so that I could open a case. I thank God for liberating this village today," she said.
When asked whether she had reported the assault, she said she had not because trying to open any case against Tshiswole tsha Makonde had always been a waste of time. "Those guys have connections with the police. A lot of people here have opened cases against them, and no one has been arrested so far," she said.
Speaking to this newspaper on Monday morning (20 February), Ravhura said he had lost eight fridges in the fire. The property alone, he said, was worth more than R350 000. "I also lost stock worth more than R150 000. I have opened a case of malicious damage to property, theft and arson early this morning," he said.