A 10-year-old boy who was severely mutilated on a mountain in the Polokwane area last month died in hospital on Tuesday.
Sello Chokwe’s attacker had hacked off his ear, hand, genitals and his skull had been damaged.
According to Polokwane hospital doctor Joris Zandelanotte, Sello was in a coma in the intensive care unit until he died.
He said the hospital would do a post mortem on Wednesday.
According to police the boy was sent to fetch donkeys on the mountain in his village in Moletjie.
Later that day they received a call from people who had heard ”strange noises in the mountain” and upon investigation they found the unconscious child.
Senior superintendent Motlafela Mojapelo said their investigations led them to two women aged 64 and 58 who had also been attacked in the same area while cutting grass.
The neighbour who had sent Sello to the mountain and three other men were taken in for questioning.
”We also made them take part in an identity parade because the women said they would recognise the man who did it, but it was unsuccessful and we had to release all of them,” said Mojapelo.
”At this stage it looks like a ritual killing, but that is not the sole focus of our investigation,” Mojapelo said. – Sapa