News / Regional
6 family members commit suicide
07 Sep 2015 at 06:47hrs | Views
A Lupane man has become the sixth person in his family to commit suicide after hanging himself from a tree for undisclosed reasons.
Dokotela Moyo, 67, who was popularly known as Makhanda from Lutho Village, under Chief Mabikwa in Lupane, took his own life in the early hours of Friday barely five months after his son Vacancy Moyo also committed suicide.
Makhanda, who was alleged to have attempted to commit suicide in 1983, was buried yesterday. His brother, Jethros Moyo, 40, said yesterday that six members of the family had so far committed suicide.
Moyo said they would soon meet as a family to discuss the disturbing development with a view to mapping a way forward.
He said the other four family members who committed sucide were his other two brothers' children.
"My brother was staying at my homestead with his two surving children. His death brought to six the number of members of our family who took their own lives for unknown reasons. His son Vacancy committed suicide in April this year.
"Makhanda had been on HIV and TB treatment for some time. He would complain once in a while that he wasn't well but everything else was okay. He could do everthing for himself," said Moyo.
He said they last saw his brother alive on Thursday evening taking his medication after having his supper.
"Everything was okay on Thursday evening and Makhanda didn't complain about anything. He took his medication soon after having his supper and he retired to bed," he said.
"He would wake up at about 6.30AM everyday and talk to everybody but on Friday I had to send the children to check on him at about 8.30AM. I was shocked when they said he was not in his hut."
He said they followed his footprints and discovered his body about 3km from the homestead.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him hanging from a tree. He actually planned the suicide and was determined to die because he took with him an axe and a torch and there were signs on the ground that he struggled for some time before he died.
"When his son died a few months ago he was devastated and angry with him for taking his own life but he has done the same thing," said Moyo.
He said out of the six family members who took their lives, two were women.
Moyo said all of them committed suicide by hanging.
"I'm certain that there's an evil spirit that has taken control of our family. We've agreed to meet on Wednesday as family members to discuss the way forward before the whole family perishes. I hope we will find people to help us exorcise this spirit."
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be reached for comment.
Dokotela Moyo, 67, who was popularly known as Makhanda from Lutho Village, under Chief Mabikwa in Lupane, took his own life in the early hours of Friday barely five months after his son Vacancy Moyo also committed suicide.
Makhanda, who was alleged to have attempted to commit suicide in 1983, was buried yesterday. His brother, Jethros Moyo, 40, said yesterday that six members of the family had so far committed suicide.
Moyo said they would soon meet as a family to discuss the disturbing development with a view to mapping a way forward.
He said the other four family members who committed sucide were his other two brothers' children.
"My brother was staying at my homestead with his two surving children. His death brought to six the number of members of our family who took their own lives for unknown reasons. His son Vacancy committed suicide in April this year.
"Makhanda had been on HIV and TB treatment for some time. He would complain once in a while that he wasn't well but everything else was okay. He could do everthing for himself," said Moyo.
He said they last saw his brother alive on Thursday evening taking his medication after having his supper.
"He would wake up at about 6.30AM everyday and talk to everybody but on Friday I had to send the children to check on him at about 8.30AM. I was shocked when they said he was not in his hut."
He said they followed his footprints and discovered his body about 3km from the homestead.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him hanging from a tree. He actually planned the suicide and was determined to die because he took with him an axe and a torch and there were signs on the ground that he struggled for some time before he died.
"When his son died a few months ago he was devastated and angry with him for taking his own life but he has done the same thing," said Moyo.
He said out of the six family members who took their lives, two were women.
Moyo said all of them committed suicide by hanging.
"I'm certain that there's an evil spirit that has taken control of our family. We've agreed to meet on Wednesday as family members to discuss the way forward before the whole family perishes. I hope we will find people to help us exorcise this spirit."
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be reached for comment.
Source - chronicle
