Daily Sun (July 29 2014) - THIRTEEN people are living in fear of their lives.
The coffin in the yard was empty but it had a hit list lying on top of it . . .
AND IT PROMISED THAT THE PEOPLE ON THE LIST WOULD ALL SOON BE DEAD.
The list contained the name of prominent people in the area, including an ANC councillor. The name of Amos Magagula, the induna, appeared at the top of the list, right under the single-word heading reading "Farewell".
The coffin was found at the site of newly allocated stands near Matsamo Plaza in Buffelspruit, south of Malalane, Mpumalanga.
"On Saturday we found the coffin in an area which is due for development," said Buffelspruit ward councillor Vusi Shongwe. "It said the people on the list will die and be buried in the coffin. The community is scared and angry. We do not know who will be the first to die."
Shongwe said some of the people on the list have already gone into hiding. "There is nobody here who has the money to buy a coffin and send meaningless threats."
He said they held a community meeting on Saturday and decided they should not act on suspicions but let the police do their work. Provincial police spokesman Colonel Leonard Hlathi confirmed the coffin and the list.
He said a recent court order stopped people from occupying the land where the development is taking place.
"Seven people on the list also face trespassing charges which were laid by people who claim to own the land," Hlathi said.
"We are investigating a case of intimidation and we will know soon who is behind the threat."
A local farmer who is among those claiming to own the land said they found out about the list on Saturday.
"We heard angry people wanted to burn down our houses," he said.
Solomon Mabuza, who is a member of the Buhle Buyeza Farmers Association, said the people at the meeting with the headman had guns and were firing in the air while singing.
"We told police the people were illegally occupying the land but they couldn't help us. We suspect it is because some police officers were promised stands there too."
Solomon said the coffin was just a way to make them look bad. "We got information that the coffin was seen in the garage of one of the people on the list. They did this thing themselves to defame us," he said.
Headman Magagula confirmed that his name was first on the list. He said he was busy in a meeting with police and could not comment. - AENS
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