Indigenous beliefs and customs, the South African criminal law, and human rights: identifying the issues*

ABSTRACT

African Customary law and the South African common law enjoy equal recognition in the South African legal system. However, their equal status results in various conflict situations between them, especially in the South African criminal law. This paper shows that the indigenous belief in witchcraft (including witch-killings), the indigenous belief in the tokoloshe and the use of muti-medicine (including muti-murders), as well as the indigenous custom of ukuthwala, can result in the commission of common law and statutory crimes in South Africa. These are then known as “culturally motivated” crimes. In addition, this paper shows that the indigenous beliefs and custom above can also violate fundamental human rights entrenched in the South African Constitution. In this regard, this paper also outlines the consequences that an accused can face for infringing upon a victim’s fundamental human rights through the commission of a culturally motivated crime.

KEYWORDS:

• Witchcraft
• tokoloshe
• muti
• ukuthwala
• crime
• human rights

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Southon v Moropane 2015 JOL 33203 (GSJ), par 1.

2 For an explanation of the common law’s composition in South Africa see Rautenbach (2018, 3), Rautenbach and Matthee (2010, 111) and Rautenbach (2008, 1–2).

3 African customary law refers to “the customs and usages traditionally observed among the indigenous African peoples of South Africa and which form part of the culture of those peoples”. See section 1 of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998.

4 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

5 Prince v President, Cape Law Society 2002 (2) SA 794 (CC), 816.

6 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 211(3).

7 The term ‘indigenous’ is used to refer to people and communities that are indigenous to South Africa.

8 S v Mafunisa 1986 (3) SA 495 (V), 496J-497D.

9 For a definition of ‘traditional healer’ see Rautenbach (2007, 518) and Carstens (2004, 13).

10 For an explanation of the term ‘witchdoctor’ see Rautenbach (2007, 525).

11 R v Edwards 1957 R & N 107, 109–110.

12 S v Mbelu 1966 1 PH H175 (N), 178.

13 S v Mdau 2001 (1) SACR 625 (W), 626.

14 Witchcraft Suppression Act 3 of 1957, section 1.

15 Witchcraft Suppression Act 3 of 1957, section 2.

16 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 11.

17 S v Makwanyane 1995 (3) SA 391 (CC), 394G-394H.

18 It is submitted that the term ‘ordinary court’ in this section refers to either a Western court or an African traditional court.

19 R v Ngang 1960 3 SA 363 (T), 364B-364C.

20 R v Mbombela 1933 AD 269.

21 R v Ngang 1960 3 SA 363 (T).

22 R v Ngang 1960 3 SA 363 (T), 363F and 366F.

23 R v Ngang 1960 3 SA 363 (T), 363E-363F and 366E-366G.

24 S v Ngema 1992 (2) All SA 436 (D).

25 S v Ngema 1992 (2) All SA 436 (D), 44.

26 For an explanation of this term see Rautenbach (2007, 525–526).

27 S v Modisadife 1980 (3) SA 860 (A), paras 860 & 861F.

28 S v Modisadife 1980 (3) SA 860 (A), paras 860 & 862H.

29 S v Modisadife 1980 (3) SA 860 (A), paras 860, 861C-861D & 863D-863E.

30 S v Mavhungu 1981 1 SA 56 (A), paras 61A-61B.

31 S v Mogaramedi 2015 (1) SACR 427 (GP), par. 10.

32 S v Mogaramedi 2015 (1) SACR 427 (GP), par. 24.

33 R v Njova 1906 20 EDC 71, 72.

34 Ncedani v R 1908 22 EDC 243, 245.

35 R v Sita 1954 (4) SA 20 (E).

36 R v Sita 1954 (4) SA 20 (E), par. 22F.

37 R v Sita 1954 (4) SA 20 (E), paras. 24G-24H.

38 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007, section 3.

39 R v Mane 1948 (1) All SA 128 (E), 127–128.

40 R v Mane 1948 (1) All SA 128 (E), 130.

41 R v Swartbooi 1916 EDL 170, 171–172.

42 S v Jezile 2015 (2) SACR 452 (WCC).

43 Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013.

44 Children’s Act 38 of 2005.

45 Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998, section 3.

46 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 24.

47 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 13.

48 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 28(3).

49 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 28(1)(b).

50 Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, section 276(1).

51 See Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 8(1).

52 See Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 38.

53 Fose v Minister of Safety and Security 1997 (3) SA 786 (CC), paras. 18 & 19.

54 Fose v Minister of Safety and Security 1997 (3) SA 786 (CC), par. 19.

55 Ngomane v Johannesburg (City) 2020 (1) SA 52 (SCA).

56 Komape v Minister of Basic Education 2020 (2) SA 347 (SCA).

57 Komape v Minister of Basic Education 2020 (2) SA 347 (SCA), paras. 58 & 63.

58 Komape v Minister of Basic Education 2020 (2) SA 347 (SCA), par. 58.

59 See also Fose v Minister of Safety and Security 1997 (3) SA 786 (CC), paras. 97–100.

60 S v Xaba 2018 (2) SACR 387 (KZP).

61 S v Xaba 2018 (2) SACR 387 (KZP), par 22.

62 Director of Public Prosecution v Moloto 2019 (2) SACR 123 (SCA), par. 11.

63 Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, section 51.

64 S v Malgas 2001 (1) SACR 469 (SCA), 480.

65 S v J 1989 (1) SA 669 (A), 671–672.

66 S v Tuswa 2013 (2) SACR 269 (KZP), 282.