A six-year-old boy has been found clinging to life in a ditch in South Africa after thugs reportedly castrated him with the intention of using his body parts for a “ritual”. The young boy was first pepper sprayed and terribly injured by the thugs.
He was found lying in a pool of blood in scrubland when local residents chasing down two criminals heard him cry out for help.
Residents were reportedly left shocked and furious after they saw the schoolboy castrated and news of the sick attack spread through Boksburg in Gauteng Province.
The boy was discovered on a rough wasteland near a gold mine at the Blue Skye informal settlement and was close to death from blood loss when found.
One resident who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals said: “Who would do such a thing to such a little boy – it really is the cruellest of the cruel.
“To pepper spray the little boy is bad enough but to cut off his genitals is just barbaric and that kid will have mental issues for the rest of his life.
“I know the boy and he is often around looking for a bit of food or a bit of loose change and he gets by and is always smiling and is always polite.
“He was found out in an overgrown field with his genitals missing and unable to see properly due to the pepper spray which is dreadfully painful on its own.”
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Another resident Chantel Naude said: “I am considering moving out of the area as we feel unsafe as I have boys as well and don’t want them attacked as well.”
A third resident said: “The rumours are that it is Satanism or taking body parts for a voodoo ritual but this little boy will now not be able to have children ever.”
The emergency services have refused to confirm if his private parts were injured in the attack.
Boksburg South African Police station commander Colonel Matshedeso Mbele confirmed that they were investigating a case of attempted murder.
However, she refused to comment on his horrific injuries due to their nature.
She said it was unknown as yet if it was adults or older children who attacked him.
Colonel Mbele said the attack happened on March 1 and paramedics rushed the victim to the hospital.
She added that the boy is now in a stable condition.