Johannesburg, South Africa is no stranger to news regarding ritual killings of a Satanic nature, and as two teenaged boys gear up to undergo future court appearances for the murder of two schoolgirls – some are left wondering….did Satanism really play a role in the crime. According to one researcher, it’s commonplace for people to ‘blame’ Satanism for violent crimes they have trouble digesting or explaining the causes behind them. Therefore, is Satanism being used as a scapegoat for this senseless crime, or is there enough evidence that suggests the girls were victims of a Satanic ritual killing?
The criminals behind the murder of two Soweto schoolgirls are only 16 years old, and the minors who at first had their faces covered by blankets, were now exposed as they made an appearance in court today. Wearing jeans and sweaters, the teens arrived at the Protea Magistrate’s Court with feet chained together. Holding their heads down while authorities escorted them into the childrens’ court, the criminals face murder charges for two young girls, Thandeka Moganetsi, 15, and Chwayita Rathazayo, 16.
The boys are accused of killing two best friends, who have been described by family members as ‘inseparable.’ Still dressed in their uniforms from the George Khosa Secondary School, the bodies of the girls had been discovered in a field in Dobsonville. The girls’ bodies had open wounds on their backs. Cuts had been found on the necks and hands of the deceased, along with other pieces of evidence that suggest there were more details behind the reasoning of the teen’s death. The Gauteng deputy police commissioner also said that one of the girls had been stabbed in the stomach.
One of the reasons that the deaths of Moganetsi and Rathazayo is being described as a Satanic ritual killing, is the alleged black candles that were found at the scene of the crime. Black candles are commonly associated with Satanic worship, and reports state that three of them, as well as two new razor blades had been found at the crime scene. Because of this evidence found alongside the bodies of the girls, the Occult Unit was called in to help with the investigation.
However, Dr Chaundre Gould, a senior researcher from the Institute for Security Studies, stresses not to fall into the pitfall of using Satanism as a ‘scapegoat’ for violent crimes such as this recent case. The researcher said that she did not believe this case would turn out to reveal any religious motivation. In an attempt to quiet the widespread panic and fear that this heinous act has created, Gould stated that she felt that there was no reason to believe similar crimes (that could be attributed to Satanism) would occur. In the meantime, angry residents have feared for the safety of their children – some approaching and also approaching a home in the neighborhood that they believed had human remains buried in their yard, yet the bones turned out to belong to an animal.
When family went to identify the body at the mortuary, they said that the girl had a tattoo on her arm that they believed to Satanism. Whether or not this observation will play a role in the case remains to be unseen.
Therefore, it seems that the only evidence brought to light thus far that ties this crime to a Satanic ritual killing is the presence of black candles that an occult expert and sociologist noted were often used to “summon demonic spirits and powers of darkness.” The testimony regarding the case will provide more information, but until then, the deaths of Moganetsi and Rathazayo are being referred to as ‘Satanic killings.’