Tsikamutandas cause mayhem in Bubi

A ZION Christian sect is reportedly terrorising villagers in Bubi district by forcibly entering their homes to "remove goblins and evil spirits".

The people of Ntobi village are being harassed by a group of four men who are said to be from Gokwe.Narrating their ordeal, a villager who preferred anonymity, said the villagers were not informed that there would be a group of prophets who would come to cleanse the village.

"These people call themselves Wafawafa. They came into the village without our consent. They were called all the way from Gokwe by one family which had their own spiritual problems but they are now getting into other people's properties without their consent," said the villager.

"They are using the homestead of the late person, Mr Ndlovu, which he left to his widow and children. They beat drums there and sing, bringing some villagers two by two inside a hut. If you refuse, they will literally lift you and take you there by force. We even took this case to the police but we have not seen any development."

When Sunday News visited Ntobi village last Thursday, a meeting was being held by the villagers and the Wafawafa group to discuss the way forward.

Mrs Lethisiya Ncube, a villager, said the group entered her homestead while she was away and damaged her property.

"Abantu laba bangena endlini yami mina ngingekho ngikoBulawayo (these people entered my homestead while I was in Bulawayo), when they got in, there was my 84-year-old mother-in-law who cannot walk. They told her there were goblins    to be removed from the house, then they  took my traditional fabrics and burnt them. How can they do that without my permission?

"I found my blankets soaked with blood and my traditional beads were broken and separated. I need my things back and they should tell me why they did this without my approval. I think these people are being tipped by some villagers and pretend to be prophets. They bring their things in some villages and pretend to be helping people," said Mrs Ncube.

Another villager, Mrs Soneni Sibanda, said she was not satisfied with the way this group was operating.

"When they are exorcising people, they call them two by two, father and mother, get them inside a hut of a certain homestead. What I do not understand is that I was summoned to that homestead to get in a hut with another man who is not my husband and I refused to go there.

"Immediately I saw a group of people, including some villagers, coming to catch me and I was forced to get inside that hut," said Mrs Sibanda.

However, some villagers said those people who do not want to be exorcised were suspected witches in the village.

Mr Xolani Ncube said the village needed to be cleansed.

"We do not tolerate witchcraft in this village and we know there are witches within us here, so we need this group to help us free our village from goblins. We want them to remove everything associated with witchcraft here," said Mr Ncube.

A member of the Wafawafa group, Mr Godknows Moyo, told this reporter that he was called by the villagers.

"We were summoned by the villagers  here to help them but others do not understand what we are doing. I think it is because they go to different churches.   We are not compelling anyone to take part  in our activities. However, if some people have felt compelled we are sorry for that," he said.

The councillor for the village, Mrs Sylvia Luphahla, said they had held five meetings to discuss the issue.

"We always sit down and discuss this because this has caused havoc in our village. What we need is to have good relations and to be united as one village," she said.