A 63-year-old Kaalfontein Ext 9 resident, Thandi Nkonde, has opened a fraud case after allegedly losing R800 000 to a man posing as a traditional healer.
Nkonde said she had been experiencing ongoing personal difficulties at her home, including unexplained disturbances at night, which led her to seek help from various churches without success.
In 2025, while reading The Thembisan, she came across an advertisement for a traditional healer known as ‘Baba Edi’, based in Ivory Park, and contacted him.
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Nkonde claims the man initially gained her trust by offering what she believed were effective remedies.
“When we first approached him, he helped us with issues that were troubling my household. He gave us mixtures to use, which seemed to work at the time,” she said.
According to Nkonde, the man later told her that her family needed to move from their home, claiming their ancestors were unhappy and that the area was unsafe.
She said he convinced the family to communicate with their ancestors through a process he described as ‘ukufemba’, during which he allegedly spoke in different voices claiming to represent deceased relatives.
Nkonde said the ‘messages’ she received reinforced the instruction to sell her home, warning of danger and promising a better future elsewhere.
“They told us we must leave the house because we were not safe and that there were negative things affecting our lives,” she said.
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Despite initial doubts, Nkonde said she was persuaded after receiving similar advice from multiple sources, including a church leader.
She eventually sold her house for R1 million in March. After deductions, she received approximately R800 000.
Nkonde alleges the healer then instructed her to withdraw the money and hand it over to him, claiming he would take it to the mountains to perform rituals and return it ‘multiplied’.
“He told us to prepare for a celebration and that the money would come back increased,” she said.
However, after taking the money, the man allegedly disappeared.
Nkonde said all attempts to contact him have failed, with his phone going straight to voicemail. His whereabouts remain unknown.
She has since opened a case of fraud with the SAPS in Ivory Park.
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Police investigations have been complicated by the lack of identifying information.
Nkonde said she does not have photographs of the suspect, and the vehicle he used did not have number plates.
Authorities have visited the location where the man operated from, but no substantial evidence has been recovered.
According to Nkonde, the suspect is light in complexion and speaks isiZulu and English.
Police have warned that similar scams targeting vulnerable residents, particularly elderly people, have been reported in township areas.
Charmaine Slater, editor for The Thembisan, said the publication takes the safety and trust of its readers seriously.
“While advertisements are published in good faith, the publication does not independently verify all claims made by advertisers.
“Readers are urged to exercise caution when engaging with service providers, particularly those requesting large sums of money or making promises that seem unrealistic,” said Slater.
“We encourage members of the community to verify credentials where possible, and avoid making payments under pressure.”
