Bloody row erupts over beans soup, Headman flogged and injured in brawl

NKAYI is developing a reputation of having feuds that erupt from bizarre issues. Just last year, a man from Sikhobokhobo area beat his wife badly for failing to give him chicken-back as part of his relish.

The man was arraigned before Headman Maphetshwana who fined the woman and her grandmother three chickens and ordered them to cook and dish them out properly to those who attended the traditional hearing.

Ironically, this year, Headman Maphetshwana whose name is Mr Thabani Mhlanga decided to up the stakes when he assaulted his nephew with a hoe for failing to pour enough soap to his beans relish.

According to an eye witness account, last week on Tuesday - a villager in the area invited his neighbours to come and assist him plough his maize fields, after which he had promised to give them food and drinks(ilima).

Headman Maphetshwana and his nephew - Mr Khanyiso Moyo - accepted the invitation and went with other villagers to the fields. When lunch time came, Mr Moyo was charged with the duty of dishing out food to the workers.

He did so well until the turn to serve his uncle came.

After serving headman Maphetshwana with a plate full of maize meal and beans his uncle apparently demanded that he top up the soup as it was not enough.

Mr Moyo is said to have refused to top up the soup arguing that it was the "standard share that everyone" got and his uncle was not "special in the occasion."

His sentiments did not go down well with headman Maphetshwana who accused him of insubordination, contempt and arrogance. Mr Moyo laughed off the charges from his uncle on the basis that – he could not bow down to "blatant abuse of power "at the wrong place by a traditional leader.

Other villagers are said to have started laughing at the headman who got irate, picked up a hoe and hit his nephew on the sheen.

An eye-witness said: "Moyo fell down crying and there was blood on his leg. We restrained Maphethwana who was charging at him and threatening that he was to finish him off.

"After cooling tempers, we relaxed and Moyo took advantage of the prevailing peace, picked up a stick and started flogging the headman on the head. He fell down and fled very badly.

"We then held the two and arranged that they go to the clinic since they were both wreathing in pain."

The two were then taken by a scotch-cart to Sebhumane clinic where they were referred to Nkayi hospital. This was after making a formal police report at the police post there. They were treated, detained for a night and discharged on Thursday.

Headman Maphethwana has eight stitches on the head whereas his nephew has six on the sheen.

Efforts to get a police comment were fruitless.

However Headman Maphetshwana on Friday told this paper that he was angry about the conduct of his nephew and also apologised to the villagers for his uncouth and violent behaviour.

"That boy is insolent, I got very angry and lost it. I am sorry, People in my area should not think that I am the animal they saw that day. I was made to do wrong, that boy is disrespectful.

"I am going to see the police on Monday over the matter and we will also report it to chief Sikhobokhobo," he said.

His nephew, Mr Moyo echoed similar sentiments but insisted that he acted in self defence.

"Whilst I agree that what happened is bad, everyone who was there will tell – if they are people who love the truth that I acted in self defence. I feared for my life and everything happened so fast.

"I had no intention of injuring umalume (uncle) and want this case to be solved peacefully, we are relatives and it is not good to fight, especially if he is a headman," he said.

Villagers laid blame on the two relatives for "fighting over nothing" and embarrassing them.

"How do two old people fight over soup, *umsobho shuwa ongela nyama, kanti abantu* *bangenwa yini*? Complained gogo Majali.