South Africa, I’m coming for you

Forget the Hawks, we need an exorcist to fight crime in South Africa, although in my opinion, I think the Ghostbusters would do an admirable job. North West human settlements and public safety MEC Nono Maloyi said on Saturday that “Satan has declared war on the people of South Africa.”

Forgetting, perhaps, that South Africa is a secular state, Maloyi told attendees at a ceremony for the reburial of the remains of Reverend Elias Maretlwa and his daughter Leki, that “Satanism is the only wicked force that leads wives to kill their husbands and children, and for men to rape their own children.”

The daughter, 23, and father, 61, were murdered, allegedly by his wife, and then buried in the bedroom of the family home. This is a horrific crime, but to go and accuse Satan without any evidence is not a smart move; especially as one would first have to prove his existence, a tricky job to perform in the government of a secular nation.

Two weeks ago, police discovered the National Independent Congregation Church reverend’s badly decomposed body, and a skeleton believed to be Leki’s, buried in a shallow grave under a bed in the house.

The reverend was reported missing in December, while his daughter disappeared in 2009. The wife apparently told family members that the father and daughter were in Botswana training as traditional healers. She said the two would return on June 16 this year. When they did not, after repeated questioning from locals, she allegedly revealed the whereabouts of their bodies.

Crime is a huge problem in South Africa, but blaming the crimes committed on deities instead of poverty, social ills, education, parenting and myriad other possible causes is ill-considered, unnecessary, and entirely unhelpful. Don’t shift the blame MEC Maloyi, if you are failing at public safety, don’t start blaming it on the devil.

[Source: IOL]