SANCO members arrested for assault after angry riot

By Victor Mukwevho

A case of assault to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) was opened against three members of the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO), following the incident on Sunday, 19 February, where residents went on a rampage and burnt down the shop of the deposed acting traditional leader of Makonde, Nyadzeni Ravhura.

The angry residents claimed to have suffered for more than two years at the hands of a vigilante group, called Tshiswole tsha Makonde, who worked under Ravhura and allegedly terrorised them.

The charge was laid by one of the residents who claims that, during the riot, he had been assaulted by the SANCO members. The three SANCO members were arrested on Wednesday, 22 February, and appeared in court the next day.

More than 1000 villagers marched to the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court for the hearing on Thursday. According to the vice-secretary of SANCO in Makonde, Mr Ndinannyi Masindi, the three members were arrested as a strategy to “weaken” SANCO in the village.

“The complainant alleged that he was assaulted by these