By REGINALD KANYANE
Community members in Scotland Informal Settlement near Coligny in North West, are up in arms after the partially decomposed body of a missing Johannes Mosiatana (32) was discovered at Rietvlei Farm. Some community members believe that Mosiatana, who was reported missing on 1 January 2023, was allegedly shot dead.
The deceased’s wife, Ritah Tau (23) said Mosiatana allegedly went to fetch woods in the forest at Rietvlei Farm on Sunday (1 January 2023), which is the same farm where a teenager, Matlhomola Mosweu (16) was killed back in 2017.
Mosweu was allegedly killed for stealing sunflower heads worth R80. Two men, Pieter Doorewaard and Phillip Schutte were arrested and found guilty of killing Mosweu on April 20, 2017 after they allegedly pushed him out of a moving van.
Judge Ronald Hendricks found them guilty in October 2018 of murder, kidnapping, intimidation, theft and pointing a firearm. Doorewaard was sentenced to 18 years behind bars and Schutte handed 23 years.
However, Doorewaard and Schutte appealed their case and the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) overturned the conviction.
“We were surprised after he did not return home. So, On Monday, we went to the Coligny Police Station to report a case of a missing person. The police along with the community members embarked on a search, but could not find him.
“However, we were shocked after his partially decomposed body was discovered on Wednesday (4 January 2023). We call on the police to investigate what really happened to Mosiatana. We are confused because some of the people who saw his body alleged that he had a bullet wound in his head,” she said.
Tau said she doesn’t even have money for the burial and calls on any good Samaritan to assist with funeral arrangements.
One of the community members, Mokano Molefe alleged that this is the fourth person being killed in the same area and there is no accountability. Molefe calls on the National Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Fannie Masemola and Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele to visit their area and address injustices that they continue to be subjected to by white people.
“We want justice to prevail because this is the fourth murder that took place in the same area and nothing is done about that. It cannot be normal for people to continue to either go missing or be killed, while the police are folding their arms.
“What is confusing is that people will go to the same forest to fetch woods, but surprisingly, they will either go missing or be killed. So, something is wrong in that farm and we call on the police to get to the bottom of it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the North West police spokesperson, Capt Sam Tselanyane refuted allegations that Mosiatana was shot dead.
“We can confirm that the partially decomposed body of Mosiatana was discovered at Rietvlei Farm. However, the body had no visible injuries and we cannot confirm that he had a bullet wound in his head as post-mortem processes are still underway. Police investigation continues in the matter,” he said.
The Guardian 