False prophet alert: Pensioner robbed by man posing as healer

A 74-year-old pensioner from Mamelodi has been robbed of R5 350 by an unknown man pretending to be a prophet.

The “false prophet” arrived on the doorstep of Annah Makhumisane’s house in Mamelodi East Extension 5 on Friday 5 May at around 10:00 and asked if her daughter Lebo was there.

False prophet gains access by posing as healer

“The man wearing the ZCC church badge told me that he is a spiritual person and was guided to my house to come and heal my aching body,” said Makhumisane

“I believed the prophet because I was complaining about my aching body and legs and he was here to heal me. I believed him because somehow he knew my daughter.”

Makhumisane said she was with her son when the man ordered them to buy various remedies to ease her aches and pains. He then also started praying for her.

She said the false prophet mixed the remedies and massaged her aching feet and afterwards he asked for a water bucket. He then ordered her to cover herself with a blanket while praying at the same time.

The false prophet sent her son again to the store to buy Jeyes Fluid to be used as part of the healing ritual.

ALSO READ: RDP housing scams: Social media used to swindle unsuspecting residents

False prophet makes a run for it with money

She said when her son returned, the prophet was gone and so was her money.

Her bed was turned upside down and her social grant money was gone, including her tenants’ money.

She said she was left with nothing and the money was supposed to buy groceries, pay rent, burial societies, etc.

Cellphone clues

Luckily, the false prophet forgot his cellphone there.

Her grandson David Mphasha said they managed to open the cellphone and found pictures of the suspect.

They tried to search for the suspect using contact details from his cellphone, including tracing him on Facebook.

ALSO READ: Expired gold Sassa cards still active, officials assure public

Pensioner not first and only victim

Other members of the community have also been complaining about the false prophet.

“Another family in Mamelodi East section SNS said they were also victims, the false prophet stole their cellphone,” said Mphasha.

Some members of the community said they knew the man and that he baptised people near the Eerste Fabrieke River. Others claimed he was a member of the  Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from Witbank.

Police spokesperson Constable Lethabo Mashiloane confirmed that the case was reported last week Friday.

He said the police were investigating a case of theft.

Edited by Cornelia le Roux.
This article originally appeared in Pretoria Rekord and was republished with permission. Read the original article here.