By Wendy Magagula

NYANYALI: Residents here at Nyanyali are living in fear after alleged ritual murderers were seen driving around the area targeting children.

Speaking to this Swaziland News audio channel\'s current affairs program when interviewed by editor Zweli Martin Dlamini, Make Phumzile Nkambule said one of her children was grabbed by the alleged ritual murderers, however, they later released the child after noticing some of the community members.

“On Friday, the car was seen moving around the area, they then grabbed my child but after realizing that other community members saw them, they released the child. When the people who are not known in the area were asked why they grabbed the child, they alleged that the children were hitting their car with stones. Lokusimangalisile kutsi babese batsi usindzile lomtfwana bebahamba naye(meaning: We were shocked when they said the was child lucky”, she said.

A questionnaire was sent to Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the eSwatini Police Spokesperson, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

The latest incident at Nyanyali comes after two kids disappeared in December 2020 during the Incwala ritual ceremony, police refused to arrest the suspect who was later assisted to escape to South Africa.

The residents of the area subsequently organised a protest against the police failure to investigate the disappearance of the children, in the midst of that protest, the home of the suspect was burned.

Ayanda Dlamini, a mother to one of the disappeared children was subsequently tortured by the police and thrown behind bars for demanding her child, she was accused of being part of the group of protesting residents who burnt the home of the suspect. Women rights organisations that Liphimbo LaboMake later visited the family of Ayanda Dlamini and attended her court case to show support for the persecuted woman, the whereabouts of her child remain unknown.