Etwatwa Mob Kills 76-Year-Old Woman Over Witchcraft Allegations, Family Says She Had Dementia

• The brutal killing of a 76-year-old woman in Etwatwa, Benoni, has raised alarm over witchcraft accusations and mob justice
• This comes after the 76-year-old Busi Letta Maseko was beaten to death by community members after being seen wandering in the streets alone at 3 am
• The family of the elderly woman said she suffered from dementia and was accused of witchcraft by community members

A 76-year-old woman who was brutally beaten to death by community members over witchcraft allegations suffered from dementia. A mob beat Busi Maseko after she allegedly wandered the streets alone at 3 am.

Elderly woman beaten to death

The family of the 75-year-old said the community also wanted to burn her after accusing her of being a witch when they found her roaming the streets of Etwatwa in Benoni. The family said that they were shocked by the community's actions.

They said that Maseko suffered from dementia and had often gotten lost and was later found. They said they made the community aware of Maseko's condition so that the community could assist when she was found lost in the streets.

Practising witchcraft

The family said they were not sure what happened but assumed people thought that Maseko was practising witchcraft. It is alleged that the 76-year-old woman suffered from dementia for years but was only officially diagnosed last year.

The family recalled a time when Maseko's sister passed away, and Maseko kept asking where they were going. After explaining that they were going to the funeral, Maseko became angry as she believed no one told her anything. This prompted the family to keep a close eye on Maseko.

Maseko went missing on Monday, 9 June 2025, prompting an immediate search by the family. The family later received a call that the elderly woman had been beaten to death in Ekurhuleni.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a brain condition that has no cure. It is often overlooked and misunderstood in many communities. The sickness is manageable and families need to be educated about it.

It is not part of ageing, but it is more common with people over the age of 65. It is linked to the decline in brain function, especially in thinking, memory and behaviour.

What you need to know about mob justice

• Gauteng police arrested 12 suspects charged with killing four men suspected of terrorising the Lenasia community.
• A police officer sustained serious injuries while responding to a mob attack at Mamehlabe High School at Ga-Matlala village outside Polokwane in Limpopo.
• A man accused of an ATM scam was caught in the act and forced to undo his scam in a viral video, where he was repeatedly assaulted by a mob.
• A viral TikTok video shows an angry mob attacking an alleged thief in Durban, South Africa; Netizens react with mixed views.
• A man from Diepkloof in Soweto is in hospital after he was attacked in an incident of mob justice gone wrong.

Durban mob attacks man

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that a group of people attacked a man in Durban suspected of being a thief.

A video of the incident went viral, showing a man thronged by a mob of many people. Netizens questioned the mob's actions and wondered why the police were not called.

Source: Briefly News