Pretoria — Limpopo MEC for safety, security and liaison Dikeledi Magadzi says attacks on people suspected of being witches are uncalled for and will be contained by law enforcement agencies.

This follows an attack yesterday on a man from Bochum in Limpopo whose house was burned down by a youth mob, who accused him of having the power to create lightning. They accused him of being responsible for the harsh lightning that had struck the village earlier.

However, Mr Molele and his family managed to escape uninjured.

'We cannot tolerate this kind of behaviour. I am happy that the police have arrested these people and I have advised them to oppose bail. We really need to deal with them harshly. Nobody is above the law,' Ms Magadzi told BuaNews this morning.

'Right now Mr Molele's family do not have a house and food to eat. However, we have arranged something for them in the interim,' the MEC said.

Spokesperson for the MEC Immanuel Matidze said as a result of incidents of witchcraft in the province, in 1998 the province had hosted a conference on witchcraft.

However, Mr Matidze added that as the issue seemed to be resurfacing in the province, the messages needed to be reinforced in the New Year.