Traditional healers say the belief that raping pregnant women will bring good fortune to the perpetrator of the heinous act is a falsehood.
This comes after three expecting mothers were raped at Maphisa District Hospital in Matobo, Matabeleland South Province in July.
Last week, two others were sexually abused at the same hospital in an incident that has shocked the community.
In the latest incident, it is alleged that three men carrying machetes were seen entering the maternity ward where they threatened and sexually abused the expecting mothers.
Traditional healer David Nduna Mlilo called for the arrest and imprisonment of men who rape women for ritual purposes. He said:
These are bad elements who also believe sleeping with a child brings good luck or cures certain diseases.
Good luck runs in your blood, you either have it or you don’t. If you want an additional lucky charm, you can use roots or bark of trees in water and bath with the mixture.
It shouldn’t have anything to do with any other person. It’s false that one can obtain good fortune by sleeping with a certain kind of person.
… It’s taboo; you can’t be committing such crimes and expect life to continue as usual.
Another traditional healer, Baba Ndebele said men who rape women for ritual purposes are wizards and the myths around such acts are untrue. He said:
These are skewed beliefs and I’ve never seen anything of that nature working for anyone.
It is equivalent to witchcraft if a man violates a woman or rapes her because he wants to be rich.
It’s the same as someone saying sleeping with a minor brings about good luck or cures certain diseases.
It is abusing another person if one engages in sexual acts without consent.
Matabeleland South Provincial medical director Ruth Chikodzore said they have increased the number of security personnel at the hospital to ensure the safety of expecting mothers.
She said the community had also formed a neighbourhood watch committee to guard the institution.
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