South Africa: Sangoma couple to appear in court for burning their three-year-old son in a ritual

A Mpumalanga couple accused of making a ring of fire to sacrifice their three-year-old son as a way to become rich will appear in court on Thursday. 

The couple, Cedric Mkhonto (29) and Nelly Jawuki (25), from Khutsong near Matsulu outside Mbombela, are facing charges of attempted murder after their son was nearly killed in a fire that left him seriously injured back in January this year.

The two were only arrested at a hideout in Tonga on October 16.

"The couple, who are sangomas, are accused of wanting to burn and kill their baby in Matsulu to perform a ritual that they believed may have made him rich. They allegedly made a ring of fire at around 21:00 and tied the baby to a plank using ropes.

They placed him on top of the fire to sacrifice him and were sitting around the fire naked. A neighbour heard the baby crying and called for help in the community," Mpumalanga police spokesman Brigadier Selvy Mohlala told African Eye News Service (AENS) on Wednesday.

Mohlala said the neighbours rescued the boy from the fire and called police.

"The parents fled after the child was rescued. The boy has since recovered from the injuries that he sustained during the fire. He is living with a relative in KaMhlushwa near Malalane," he said.

He added that Mkhonto was first hospitalised at Tonga Hospital on October 14 before being arrested along with Jawuki.

-African Eye News Service