Limpopo – Vhembe district is in the grip of fear of flesh-eating ghouls and vampires – with an elderly woman swearing parts of her lips were chewed off by a mystical demon-like being.
Dark arts in this rural Limpopo district in Thohoyandou – which comprises Makhado, Musina, Thulamela, and Mutale – have taken centre stage in conversations among frightened rural people.
Stories of sorcery doing the rounds have gained prominence after an elderly woman posted a video clip on social media in which she said a man-eating ghoul attacked her and chewed off her lips.
Nwajaki Chauke of Shikunduville village, outside of Malamulele, says in the video clip posted on social media she was attacked by a ghoul.
She says parts of her lips were chewed off during the attack.
See the Facebook post here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/gy4Rwt6v3pswFyqn/?mibextid=V0ec5v
Anecdotes of ritual killings (Muti Killings) and harvesting of human body parts by sorcerers using ghouls, and vampires have been rife in Vhembe for years.
But this time around, Chauke’s video clip, which has gone viral, has further entrenched fears of the dark arts.
The Bulrushes spoke to several residents from various villages in Vhembe district, who said that they now live in fear of being attacked by vampires or ghouls.
Saselemane retail store cashier Irene Maluleke, of Xikundu village, outside of Malamulele, said the video clip had induced a heightened sense of fear in her.
“Most days I knock off around 18:00. To be honest these past days I walk in fear when I go home,” lamented Maluleke.
“I fear that I might be attacked by the so-called vampires which are said to be moving around our villages.”
Maluleke said life was no longer the same for her.
“Even at home I fear going to the outside pit toilet… even during the day I fear that I might be attacked and eaten alive,” Maluleke said.
“Our lives are being disrupted by all these stories.
“The worst part is that we do not know if the stories are true or false… but to be honest it is a scary time for us.”
Another resident of Xikundu village, Amos Baloyi said he worries demon-like beings might attack his school-going children.
Baloyi said: “I always worry that my two children, aged 10 and 12, might be attacked on their way back from school as they walk more than 10 km before they get home”.
Baloyi, a fuel station security officer, said his main worry was not being able to protect his kids all the time.
“I even thought of stopping them (kids) from going to school until we are in the clear of what is actually happening within our villages, but I remembered that it is exam time, and they will miss out on writing crucial exams,” said Baloyi.
Another fearful Vhembe resident Elvis Munyai of Tshififi village, outside of Thohoyandou said he has decided against sending his 12-year-old son to initiation school.
“Next week Friday marks the start of this year’s initiation schools period in Vhembe and I planned to send my son there,” said Munyai.
“I have changed my mind.
“What if I send him there and the so-called vampires decide to go there and attack him?
“It is so scary, and it is not the risk I am prepared to take.”
Meanwhile, a mob of angry Shikundiville residents beat a man to death over accusations of being behind the mysterious man-eating mystical figures.
Commenting on the mob attack, Vhembe police spokesperson Vuledzani Dathi said the deceased suspect has since been identified as Surprise Maluleke, a Mozambican citizen.
Police in Limpopo said they had not received any reports of attacks by ghouls or vampires.
In 2021 the Citizen newspaper quoted Dr. Alunamutwe Enos Rannditsheni, who did extensive research on muti killings as part of his thesis for a PhD degree, as saying that traditional leaders, traditional healers, politicians, businesspeople, and pastors – who were after power and boosting their businesses – were behind ritual murders in Limpopo.
