Farmer Fires 'Witch' After his Dog Dies

By SIZWE SAMAYENDE

A 26-YEAR-old Northern Province farm worker has lost her job after her employer allegedly accused her of being a witch.

Angelina Mulabisana, who worked on a farm near the tiny town of Waterpoort, in the Waterberg, for more than 10 years, said farm owner Kevin Emmerich dismissed her this week after accusing her of poisoning his dog.

The farmer's dog died last month after a long illness.

Mulabisana said she had been working in Emmerich's kitchen since 1989 but was moved to the fields when the dog became sick in March.

"He said I poisoned the dog after it bit my cousin," she said. Her cousin, Victor Setsei, 26, was also moved from working in Emmerich's garden to the fields after the incident.

She said co-workers had also accused her of sorcery. Neither Emmerich nor his attorney would comment other than to say Mulabisana was dismissed because "she was not working properly. Procedures according to the Labour Relations Act were followed."

Meanwhile, a worker at the non-governmental land reform organisation Nkuzi Development Association said he intends taking Emmerich to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration for unfair dismissal.

He added that Emmerich had told him that Mulabisana was a witch, but changed his story in the presence of his lawyer and accused her of sleeping on the job.

December 12, 1999, African Eye News Service .

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