Cultural leaders yesterday said villagers from the Matopos area would now guard the Njelele Shrine to ensure that it is not invaded again by ex-Zanla combatants as government had failed to block the intruders.
They said since the former Zanla combatants started invading the shrine in February, the local community had sought help from government, police and political leaders, but to no avail.
Umthwakazi kaMzilikazi Cultural Association leader Nhlanhla Khumalo yesterday told NewsDay that hopes for protection were dashed on Thursday last week after government allegedly supported the ex-Zanla cadres.
“After we complained over the war veterans’ unsanctioned visits to Njelele, police promised to protect the shrines,” he said.
“However, last week on Thursday police allowed them (former Zanla combatants) into Matopos Hills to conduct rituals and this angered us.”
Khumalo said the cultural leaders and Chief Malaki Masuku notified the police of the impending invasion of the shrine after they were tipped off by local war veterans.
“Police promised us that they would block them, but when the war veterans arrived they allowed them in,” said Khumalo.
“When we phoned the police, they told us they were not around while the ex-combatants were already conducting their rituals.
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“The ex-combatants’ local colleagues told us they were already in the area, but police blocked us when we wanted to go and see them.”
He said the cultural leaders and villagers had decided to mobilise each other to guard the area.
“When they come again we will inform the police,” Khumalo said. “But if the police do not act we will do it our own way.”
In an interview yesterday, Matojeni Cultural Society leader Albert Nyoni said his organisation was working with Umthwakazi kaMzilikazi Cultural Association and the locals to protect the sacred shrines.
“As long as the ex-Zanla combatants come to our shrines, we will always protest. These people are violating our culture,” Nyoni said.
The ex-Zanla combatants, led by Noworeka Tensi, have so far this year visited the Matopos shrines four times.
Last week over 500 of them, accompanied by chiefs from Mashonaland provinces, visited Zipra’s Nampundu and Freedom camps in Zambia where they collected soil and stones from graves of Zipra members who were killed during the war — which they took to Matopos Hills to conduct their rituals.
Last week Zanu PF chairman Simon Khaya Moyo told State media he had confronted Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri on the conduct of his officers.
He said Chihuri had promised stern action against those who assisted the war veterans to carry out the rituals.
