Woman abducted, beaten for ‘bewitching’ a man’s wife
ROB KNOWLES
A NEMATO woman was abducted from her home and beaten by assailants who accused her of being a witch on Wednesday last week.
Nompumelelo Mzimba was with her two-year-old son when she was abducted, stripped naked and badly beaten.
Initial reports stated Mzimba allegedly sold medicines to her attacker's wife to enable her fall in love with other men.
The matter was originally brought to the attention of TotT by local councillor Terri Stander.
Thembile Magopeni, senior manager at the Amatole District Municipality, who was previously the local economic development (LED) officer for Ndlambe, together with his wife and mother in-law were arrested shortly after the incident and appeared in the Port Alfred Magistrate's Court last Friday to face charges of kidnapping and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
"This woman (Mzimba) bravely wants her attack publicised to prevent it from happening to others,” said Stander.
The alleged assailants had apparently travelled to Grahamstown earlier that day to find another victim, but were unable to locate her. Police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender said they then drove back to Port Alfred and, entering the house of Mzimba, abducted her and her son and took them to another house where they allegedly stripped her naked and beat her for hours.
Her son was apparently "shoved around” by the assailants.
According to Port Alfred station commander Colonel Lizette Zeelie, the suspect, "came (to her house) and accuses the victim of being a bad influence on his wife – taking her drinking and so forth when he was not home.” 
After the beating the three suspects allegedly tied Mzimba, naked, to the gate of the house. Neighbours then called the police who arrested the three suspects.
After a brief appearance at Port Alfred Magistrate's Court on Friday last week the three suspects were granted bail of R1 000 each and prohibited from visiting the Bathurst District without the permission of the investigating officer.