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Gibson Mhaka
DOMESTIC violence is a serious issue, but it becomes even more concerning when it involves an elder because elders can be more vulnerable due to physical limitations or dependence on the abuser.
It is especially concerning because elders are sometimes ashamed or afraid to report the abuse. This silence can, however, lead to a cycle of violence that goes unchecked.
The case of the 25-year-old man from Mvalweni Village in Mangwe, Matabeleland South Province, exemplifies this issue and highlights the need for awareness and intervention in cases of elder abuse.
Headman Ngwenya was arrested for allegedly assaulting his 61-year-old grandmother Otillia Ngwenya following a misunderstanding over a goat she paid to tsikamutanda (witch hunter) for his cleansing ritual.
Disturbingly, the violence escalated when Headman also assaulted his grandmother’s 20-year-old daughter, Nomatter Ngwenya, after she tried to restrain him and rescue her mother.
For his behaviour Headman was brought before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware facing two counts of physical abuse. He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to 22 March. In addition, the court ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation by two doctors under the Mental Health Act. This evaluation will assess his mental stability.
The court heard that on 6 March at around 7pm Headman went to his grandmother’s homestead to ask for his goat. The grandmother informed him that the goat had been used to pay for the services of a tsikamutanda who performed his cleansing ritual.
The news did not sit well with Headman, who began to insult his grandmother with obscene language.
The accused then started assaulting his grandmother with fists. In the process he hit her once in the right eye, causing her eye to swell.
Hearing the commotion, the complainant’s daughter, Nomatter rushed from the kitchen to her mother’s rescue. The accused immediately stopped assaulting the complainant and turned his anger towards Nomatter.
He pummelled her all over her body with his fists, her screams for help echoing through the air. Alerted by the noise, neighbours and a member of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee rushed to the scene to rescue Nomatter and apprehended the accused. Following his arrest, two charges of physical abuse were filed against him.
Online Reporter