The ever-increasing prevalence of abuse and attacks on women and children and the brutal ritual murders have prompted the whole community of Vhembe to stand on their feet and say that enough is enough.
The area has experienced an increased number of reported cases where women were victims and, in most cases, the women were either attacked or killed by their spouses. In some cases, the women become victims of ritual murderers and are killed for muti purposes.
On Wednesday last week (Women's Day), hundreds of community members under the umbrella of the Vhembe Sanco marched through the streets of Thohoyandou to the main police station to highlight the plight of women and children. At the police station they handed over a memorandum to the station commissioner. They gave the police 14 days to respond.
Among the marchers were prominent personalities such as Vhembe Executive Mayor Florence Radzilani and Sanco Limpopo's treasurer, Chief Progress Kutama.
Sanco Vhembe regional chairperson Mr Owen Makhubela said the Vhembe region was under attack and covered by dark clouds of brutal ritual killings and abuse of women, with security apparatus failing to arrest the situation. "As a community, we are very disturbed and we are hereby bringing our demands. We hope for change and peace in our areas," he said.
Among the demands presented to the police are that all suspects in ritual murder cases be arrested, irrespective of their status in society; that suspects not be granted bail until the finalization of the cases; and that all ritual murder cases where no arrests have been made, be revisited. The memorandum further urges the police to act swiftly to stop the community from taking the law into their own hands.
Makhubela further said the police management should buy enough vehicles, so that they would not have any excuse for not attending to complaints on time. "We have also noted the shortage of manpower and we urge the powers that be to employ more police to match the scourge of crime." They also demand that "corrupt police be removed" as a matter of urgency as they are contributing to increased crime.
The acting police commissioner in Thohoyandou, Col Abel Mashamba, received the memorandum. "We might not be marching with you, but we are together in spirit. Barbaric acts happen in villages and people have information about these acts. Please help us; when you see something suspicious, please inform us," he pleaded.