Vhembe businessman Ayub Patel Madina who, together with his businesses in Thohoyandou, was targeted by attackers last week, has come out to set the record straight. He was only saved by the swift arrival of the police during last week's incident.
He owns several businesses and complexes in Thohoyandou and was accused of involvement in a kidnapping case that happened at Muhotoni, where a 19-year-old schoolboy was kidnapped three weeks ago. The pupil, who was on his way to school, was later found at Tshikundamalema, some 50 kilometres away. Ayubbhai Mohmedbhai Multani (29) of Thohoyandou Block F was questioned in connection with the incident and later released.
Since the incident happened, a wild rumour has been doing the rounds that it was Madina who had been arrested.
This week he came out with guns blazing and dared those who were accusing him of ritual murder to come out in the open and open a case against him, so that he could have his day in court. "The reality or truth should be told to avoid mud slinging, character assassination, defamation, cooked and baked lies, and malicious and unfounded allegations. I urge all the parties to resist any temptation of singing racial war, racial violence and unwarranted public violence."
He added that some people were spreading false rumours about him, saying that he had hired people to kill for ritual purposes, that he had been involved in the kidnapping incident, that he had been found with human hands and that he was using muti for his businesses. "I want to put the record straight and want people to know that I am a law-abiding citizen. I support and prescribe to democratic values and uphold and respect human rights."
He emphasised that the Indian community "distance ourselves from any of the accusations of ritual murder. I am a deep-rooted Muslim who believes that all blessings come from Allah and Prophet Mohamed," he said.
Madina further indicated that the arrested man in the Muhotoni Tshikundamalema case was not in any way related to him and that the allegations against him came as a complete shock to him. He added that the allegations were very damaging lies by sinister forces and came as a surprise as he was not even being investigated by the police.
"If there is any person having evidence against me, why not come out in the open and report this to the police, so that I could be investigated and charged, rather than prosecuted in the public domain where ill-informed people come to my shop baying for my blood, throwing around unfounded and baseless allegations."
He said that he had worked hard to be where he was and that he was proud to be part of the Vhembe community. "I have donated things for community upliftment on a number of occasions. My hands are clean and my conscience is clean as a businessman. I believe in hard work for success and not human body parts," he said.
The Indian community recently also came under fire for the sites at Lukunde and a private school at Block F. "If there are community issues, we can always sit down and find a way out. For the police, we are making an appeal for them to maintain law and order without compromise," said Madina.
(Report edited from an earlier version.)