Plea to refrain from avenging killing of horse-racing mogul Anele Luntinto

Anele Luntinto's champion race horses stood by his bullet-riddled body in its casket at his funeral.

Their ears pricked and they shuffled as emotional appeals were made to the horse racing fraternity and cattle barons to pull back from the brink of a reckless cowboy-style war in the hills around Qumbu.

The appeals, which drew on the cattle feuds and raids in which 400 people died in the early 1990s, were made by the ANC and traditional leaders before a crowd of 1,000 who packed the 37-year-old horse and cattle entrepreneur's funeral service at his rural home in Mbentsa.

In an extraordinary display of equestrian power, many horses in the community, including Luntinto's renowned champions Zinto and Khathaza’amanyamadoda, were on display at the service.

The funeral procession along a 20km route to his country home was accompanied by 48 horses.

Luntinto was gunned down in the driveway of his Mbentsa home in Qumbu on January 9.

Two days later, and only two streets away, assailants in an SUV attacked two homesteads belonging to the Philiso family, randomly firing into the homes with automatic rifles and pistols and then setting them alight. The farmer also had 52 sheep taken by rustlers, 10 of which were later recovered.

Police have yet to make an arrest, and they say the motive for Luntinto's killing is a mystery to them.

However, speakers at the funeral made it clear they believe jealousy over Luntinto's spectacular run of racing wins, and feuds over cattle and horses in the area, underlay the violence.

Zinto and Khathaza’amanyamadoda have made Qumbu famous in horse racing in SA, having won 20 races since 2018, including three major annual races in the Eastern Cape in the past three months — the Berlin November, the Bajodonini December 26 and the Tsolo January 1 races, as well as another one in Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal.

ANC OR Tambo regional chairperson and council speaker Xolile Nkompela, with respected businessman and AmaMpondomise leader of the Dosini royal house, Simpiwe Dosini Molosi, were at the forefront of trying to calm emotions.

In their tributes, they urged mourners to pull back from the front line of conflict.

Both said no amount of revenge-driven attacks could bring back lost lives or incinerated properties. Revenge violence would merely drench Mpodomise land in blood and shame.

Nkompela said: “People, do not allow the notorious incidents of the 1990s to happen again. Hundreds of people were massacred. We beg the Luntinto family, horse racing industry and farmers and all those who loved Anele not to avenge his death, but to have confidence and assist the police in arresting the killers. Revenge killing will see many people, including innocent children and women killed.

“Please, people of Mbentsa, you must work with the police to ensure the arrest of Anele's killers, and also those who burnt and shot at the two homesteads.” 

Nkompela said 10 people had been killed in stock theft-related violence in Malepelepe village in Tsolo between September and October.

Nkompela, Molosi and other speakers said the allegation that Luntinto had been found in the company of stock thieves in a nearby village of Kunontyankashe was ''baseless''.

Molosi said: “Horse owners are stock farmers, not stock thieves. We must not be trigger-happy and kill others. Let us stop embarking on revenge and violence which spill the blood of our brothers and sisters. We need cool heads to bring about peace and stability at Mbentsa and assist the police in the investigations.” 

Nkompela said: ''I hope Anele's killing has nothing to do with jealousy within the horse racing industry.''

Luntinto's mother MaDosini Luntinto, delivered an emotionally charged eulogy to her son.

In her call for peace, she said: ''I witnessed my own son dying in a hail of bullets in front of me. But avenging his death will not bring him back to life. It will only mean more innocent people will be killed. Let us leave it up to God. God will fight our battles and bring about peace.''

Luntinto was recalled as the man who revived the vibe, pride and entertainment of this indigenous game.

Luntinto, who never married, fathered 38 children with 33 mothers.

The children are aged between 18 months and two years. Some say there are more unconfirmed children.

He was praised and applauded for having provided for all his children and taken care of nephews and nieces.

Molosi donated R10,000 while Nkompela donated all his cash prizes won by his horses to the Luntinto children's education needs.

He was the proud owner of 38 hunting dogs. ​

lulamilef@dispatch.co.za