The incident happened just five kilometres from her home. Heartbreaking video footage circulated on social media shows Maseko lying on the ground while surrounded by community members. In the background, someone can be heard saying: “Greetings, Etwatwa community. Here is an elderly woman they are saying they are going to burn. They say she is a witch and was found performing rituals at 3am here.”
Family Left Devastated by the Attack
Speaking to Sowetan, Maseko’s family expressed their devastation and heartbreak. Her cousin, Sesana Maseko, explained that Busi’s dementia often led her to wander off and get lost. However, they had made the local community aware of her condition, hoping that anyone who found her would help bring her home safely.
“This time she got lost in the wrong place because we’ll never see her alive again. We are beyond disheartened,” said Sesana, struggling to contain her grief.
Another cousin, Zakhele Maseko, added that they believed the tragedy may have been sparked by the harmful superstition that elderly women found roaming at night are witches. “We are not really sure what happened. We assume someone thought she was practising witchcraft when she showed up at their home in the early hours, which is a common myth in a lot of black communities.”
Maseko had struggled with dementia for years but was only officially diagnosed in 2023. Her family had taken precautions to care for her around the clock, especially after incidents like her confusion during her sister’s funeral trip to Delmas.
Sadly, on that fateful Monday, she managed to slip out of the house unnoticed. After an intense search, the family later received the devastating call informing them that she had been killed by a mob on the streets of Etwatwa.
Calls for Awareness and Education About Dementia
Experts have weighed in on the tragedy, urging for greater community education about dementia. Welma Geldenhuys, a senior social worker at the Association of Dementia and Alzheimer’s of SA (Adasa) in Gauteng, said that dementia is a serious brain condition often misunderstood in many South African communities.
“Dementia is linked to a decline in thinking, memory, and behaviour. It’s not madness or witchcraft—it’s a brain disease,” she stressed. “While dementia has no cure, it is manageable if people understand it.”
Geldenhuys emphasized that dementia is nota normal part of ageing, although it is more common in people over 65. To combat ignorance, Adasa runs workshops across Gauteng to raise awareness, including in clinics, schools, churches, and community centres.
For those seeking support or to organise a community education session, Adasa can be contacted at 011-792-2511.
This heartbreaking incident highlights the urgent need for better public understanding of mental illnesses like dementia, and the dangers of harmful superstitions.
