A local man wished to warn others against sangomas wanting to defraud you. While still reeling from what happened to him, the man told the News his story.
The 32-year-old man asked to remain anonymous but for the sake of the story he will be called *John.
He explained how he had been sending money to his family every month and when he went home to the North West in January, weird things started happening. He would wake up at night from the tokoloshe running on the roof of the house.
John then met an acquaintance at a club one night who suggested that he consult with someone about his issues. The man took him to a local sangoma’s consultation rooms in the Krugersdorp CBD.
He knew about the weird things happening to me, and said I had witchcraft surrounding me … he was very convincing,” John said.
John had to pay R1 300 cash for the consultation. He described the rooms as pitch dark except for the lamp on the desk they were sitting at. The sangoma allegedly told him he was going to introduce him to one of his ancestors and started chanting. John then heard a woman’s voice speak to him in English.
“I was suspicious when I saw the dark room, but I could clearly hear her, although I could not see anyone.”
He was also given seeds to swallow before the ritual started, and he believes that is when they tried to put a spell on him. He was told that a cleansing ceremony had to take place, and the voice explained to both John and the sangoma what needed to be done.
A few days later he was informed he needed to pay and extra R5 000 cash for camel milk that was needed for the ceremony. But then days later he had to pay R2 000 for material needed to make the clothes for the ceremony. This was a special material that cost R1 000 per metre.
John said when it was time for the ceremony, things took a turn for the worse.
I was asked my age and they said because I am working but didn’t really know what I am doing with my life, they had to rather cleanse the money.”
He was told to get the same amount of money as his age as this was the only way to cleanse him. It was agreed that he only needed R30 000, so John took out the loan and gave the money to the sangoma.
The sangoma prayed over the money and wrapped it in the expensive material. John was told to take it home and leave it for two days. Then he went back and they opened the money.
“It looked like money but it had a black colour.”
The ancestor then allegedly told them to throw the money in the Monument Dam and she would have cleansed it by the time they got back to the consulting rooms. Upon their return the sangoma still had to pray for one note, and afterwards opened a box.
The box was filled with money; I have never seen anything like it before.”
The ancestor told John he could take his money but if he wanted to become rich, he should go and take out another loan and bring it to them.
“But I thought why should I get another loan? I did not go there to get rich but only for my personal problems to be solved.”
John said he was angry and stormed out. The driver took him home, but he never took his money. Later, when he tried phoning to collect his money he was allegedly told he had to go to the consulting rooms first. John said he did not open a case with the police because he was told it was a business transaction and there was nothing the police could do about it.
Krugersdorp Police spokesperson, Captain Raymond Sebonyane said he needed to open a case as this was fraud. He added that they have been warning people not to take their hard-earned money and the money they have borrowed from the banks or any others to sangomas, traditional healers and prophets for it to increase.
They should also be aware of pyramid scheme scams. If they need interest on the money they should consider saving or make investments with registered institutions,” Sebonyane said.
