Here are a couple of touching images showing the kind of bond many elderly people share with their cats. The same kind of affection Nomsa had for hers:

The mob accused Nomsa  who lives alone and originally comes from KwaZulu-Natal  of using the cats for witchcraft. In the chaos, her simple shack was vandalised, her belongings thrown outside, and she was left homeless and traumatised. She has since been kindly taken in by a compassionate local woman, Nonhlanhla Bhila, who opened her home to help.

Nomsa has spoken about the pain that still keeps her awake at night: she says she keeps hearing the cries of her cats and seeing their faces. The two surviving cats are now being cared for, and community members have stepped in with donations of food and clothing to support her.

A disturbing video that has become part of the police investigation captured the heartbreaking moment,  Maseko desperately carrying her cats outside just before the attack began, while belongings lay scattered around her home.

On December 1, police arrested three suspects: Dudu Nkoyena, Moses Skosana, and Cleopatra Mlambo. They face charges of animal cruelty. The trio first appeared in the Daveyton Magistrate’s Court on December 3, and returned on December 9 for a bail hearing.

That day, the courtroom was packed with community members from Mgababa Section who came out in strong support of the accused, filling the public gallery.

Unfortunately, the bail application couldn’t proceed right away. The court heard that the home addresses of two of the accused (Dudu Nkoyena and Cleopatra Mlambo) couldn’t be properly verified yet, although the third suspect’s address (Moses Skosana) was confirmed. The magistrate postponed the matter to December 18 to allow more time for verification and to move forward with bail proceedings.

This sad case highlights the painful intersection of superstition, fear, and animal cruelty in some communities. Nomsa Maseko is simply asking for justice  so that no one else ever has to go through the same nightmare she’s enduring.

Animal welfare groups and police continue to urge people: if you have concerns about suspected witchcraft or unusual animal behaviour, please report them properly to authorities or the SPCA rather than taking matters into your own hands.

Our thoughts are with Nomsa during this difficult time. May she find some peace and healing soon.

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Replying to questions posed by the DA, the MEC for GDSD, Faith Mazibuko, revealed that 263 elderly abuse cases were reported to the department by concerned citizens, NPOs, family members and victims themselves between January 2020 and June 2025. She further indicated that 18 of these abuse cases originated from various residential centres, with 25 identified perpetrators being caregivers.

These figures are shocking and illustrate a disturbing reality regarding the treatment of people who should be enjoying their twilight years in safety and dignity, but are neglected, mistreated, and abused, often at the hands of those entrusted with their care. Furthermore, these figures demonstrate the department’s failure to properly vet caregivers for our elderly, ensuring they possess the appropriate demeanour and knowledge for their care.

A society is as good as how it treats its most vulnerable; by these standards, Gauteng is not on the right track. The DA will engage MEC Mazibuko to determine measures being taken to ensure the safety of our senior citizens. We want to know what is being done to maintain their safety and welfare, and where possible, criminal cases should be opened against the perpetrators.

A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would ensure stronger oversight, enforcement, and widespread public education to foster respect, protection, and care for the elderly in our province. In the interim, we will continue to hold the department accountable, ensuring that none of our elderly are betrayed by the very systems meant to shield them from harm.

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