MATOBO — Caretaker of the sacred Njelele shrine at Matopos Hills, Solifa Ncube, says the repeated “invasion” of the shrine by former Zanla combatants had landed him in trouble with the local community and traditional leaders, who have accused him of authorising the illegal entries.
Ncube told NewsDay yesterday that since February this year, when the ex-Zanla combatants entered the shrine to conduct their controversial rituals, he has not known peace.
“War veterans have caused me a lot of problems since they started coming here,” he told NewsDay.
“For six months, I have been traumatised by the issue as the community accuses me of opening the Njelele shrine to them without clearance. Traditional leaders and villagers have questioned me on four occasions over the war veterans’ entry into the shrine. They came here three times and entered the shrine during their first visit. During their second visit, they did not enter the shine, but left stones and bones at the Matopos Hills where they performed their rituals.”
He said the war veterans’ third visit was blocked by local chiefs after they threatened to enter the shrine, reserved for rain-making ceremonies, without his approval. Ncube admitted though that he authorised the first invasion after being misled into believing that the former fighters were cleared by Chief Malaki Masuku.
However, Chief Masuku has repeatedly denied granting the ex-Zanla combatants the right to visit the shrine. Ncube accused war veterans of desecrating the area by conducting cleansing ceremonies, adding the shrine was reserved for rain-making ceremonies and cure of strange diseases.
“Njelele is open from March to November 29. No one enters for other reasons. I have seen the war veterans, but I am not the one who authorised them to come here,” he said.
About 568 ex- Zanla combatants last Thursday caused a stir when they bulldozed their way into Matopos National Park with the intention of proceeding to Njelele.
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They failed to reach the shrine, but still managed to conduct rituals in the national park. The group had sought to conduct the rituals at Njelele without the consent of Matabeleland South traditional leaders.
The group claimed they had the blessings of Home Affairs co-minister Kembo Mohadi and Natural Resources minister Francis Nhema.
Both Mohadi and Nhema could not be reached for comment, but Matabeleland South governor Angeline Masuku described the invaders as undisciplined cadres with no respect for religion and traditional practices of local people.
The former fighters were accompanied by several traditional leaders from Mashonaland provinces.
“The behaviour by the group of war veterans shows sheer indiscipline. This shows that they don’t respect the religion and traditional practices of people in Matobo and the nation at large,” Masuku said.
