Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
SOCIAL media has been on fire with chilling claims that in the old days, anyone caught bedding livestock would be forced by chiefs to marry the beast.
Netizens have been flooding comment sections with talk that offenders had to pay lobola for the animal and live with the shame as husband to a goat, chicken or donkey.
But is it true? B-Metro hit the ground to dig into the scandal. What we found is a toxic mix of myth, cultural distortion and a rising wave of shocking bestiality cases tearing through villages. Chiefs were fuming. Traditional healers called it witchcraft. Courts called it cruelty.
The noise started after a Figtree man, Brighton Mnkandla (33) was convicted of raping goats belonging to his neighbours, with two dying in the process. Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware jailed him for six months, saying a fine or community service would never deter such sick behaviour.
Soon after, images of a Masvingo man, Milton Ngwenya, with a dead goat he allegedly violated, went viral. Last week, villagers in Piki Village under Chief Zimunya clucked in disbelief when 19-year-old Carrington Mutasa was caught in the act with a chicken. The Mutare magistrates’ court gave him eight months.
These cases reignited the old whispers. On Facebook and X, people said the traditional punishment was to marry the beast. Comments poured in claiming offenders once paid full lobola and lived in shame. B-Metro asked the chiefs themselves. Their replies were fierce.
Chief Ndondo of Matabeleland South burst out laughing when asked. “People who do such UnAfrican things are a disgrace to society. Of course as chiefs we make them pay for bringing shame to the community and they must compensate the owner of the animal. Since the payment is usually in the form of livestock, people may interpret it as lobola,” he said
“No one eats that animal afterwards. It is like eating someone’s wife.”
He fumed: “I cannot understand how a human being lusts after an animal when beautiful women are everywhere. Women outnumber men five to one in the world. Some are desperate for men. Then someone does this.”
Chief Mathema, also from Matabeleland South, said compensation was about cleansing and protecting the community. But he was firm. “Sleeping with animals is not right. This is abuse. If it happens in my community, I will chase them out. The matter is for police first. This is a disgrace.”
Chief Nyangazonke dismissed the “marry the goat” talk as nonsense. “That would be a human rights violation. People misunderstand the concept of compensation. We must also look at the mental health of these people. I doubt such things were common long ago. If caught, the animal should be killed and burnt,” he said.
The President of the Chiefs Council, Chief Mtshane Khumalo of Matabeleland North, said he had never heard of marrying animals. “This is news to me. It never happened. Long ago people who did such acts were exiled. I remember a place called Intabazabathakathi where such people were sent. But that was then. Today we need to sit down with the Ministry of Justice and make a plan.”
Traditional healer Mhabinyana in Bulawayo was even blunter.
“This is pure witchcraft. There is nothing like marrying an animal in Ndebele culture.” He said.
Mhabinyana said in the past, offenders were exiled to Intabazabathakathi, which is in modern-day Sizinda, or even killed. “They were chased away. No one paid for the animal. This was taboo.”
Chief Hikwa of Matabeleland South added his voice. “The goat must be killed to cleanse the community. These people are clearly mentally disturbed. There are plenty of women who want men. This is sick.”
“These people are clearly mentally disturbed,” said Chief Hikwa.
Chief Dakamela agreed, saying offenders should be sent to hospitals for mental checks. In Mashonaland East, Chikwaka Witness Bungu said parents were to blame for failing to let the community discipline children.
“It takes a whole village to raise a child but parents today block this,” he said.
Bungu said molesters should be fined, arrested and even banished if they persist.
The chiefs spoke with one voice.
“Forget the jokes about goat weddings. This is not custom. It is cruelty, witchcraft, mental disturbance and shame. Villages want action. Courts are beginning to act. But the rise in cases has rattled everyone,” said Chief Dakamela
• Offenders used to be exiled to modern-day Sizinda Suburb
• Netizens say long ago, beastly offenders would marry their victims
• B-Metro digs into shocking online uproar over bestiality
• Chiefs vow stiff cultural and legal action against culprits
