Are robbers now using MUTI to target victims in KZN?

A woman from Canelands, KZN claims that she was the victim of a very strange robbery incident earlier this week. According to her testimony, she claims to have been sedated by a crook who used MUTI ‘to sedate her’.

Canelands robbery creates more questions than answers

The traditional form of African medicine has previously been blamed on murders, sacrifices, and the grotesque harvesting of body parts. Thanks to information provided by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), we have been able to piece together the most important details:

• The 30-year-old woman said she had little recollection of the incident.
• She was robbed of her Primo cellphone, R280 in cash, and her bank card.
• This, after she accepted a lift from a grew VW Polo driver in Canelands.
• The incident took place on Ireland Street in the Verulam CBD, near the main taxi rank.
• She was told to place her belongings on the backseat. After driving a few hundred metres, she got out of the car.
• However, her handbag had been emptied. Disorientated after the ordeal, the victim accused the robber of using ‘muti’ to sedate her.

Was Muti used in a KZN robbery?

RUSA have also issued a full statement on the matter, explaining that the woman agreed to a lift ‘because of the extreme humidity’ at the time. She claimed to feel ‘dizzy’ while riding in the suspect’s vehicle, and it is unclear if any other victims have been targeted.

“The driver befriended the female and offered her a lift to her residence in Canelands. Due to the extreme humidity, the woman accepted the offer and got into the vehicle. The driver requested that she place her hand bag in the rear seat.”

“He drove a few hundred meters before he stopped outside the taxi rank and asked her to exit the vehicle. She grabbed her handbag and boarded a taxi. When she opened her handbag she realised that her wallet, cellphone and bank card were missing.”

“The victim further stated that she felt dizzy and believed that the driver used Muti (African Traditional Medicine) to disorient her while he stole her valuables. She could not recall if there were any other passengers in the vehicle.” | RUSA statement