Young healer scores two distinctions
She said the hardest period was last November when she graduated as a healer while at the same time writing her final matric exam.
A young woman forced to juggle training to become a sangoma and writing her final matric exams has aced both.
Khuthatso Ngobeni (19), a J Kekana high school matriculant in Mamelodi, received two distinctions and has been accepted to study teaching at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
Khuthatso, originally from Stinkwater in Hammanskraal, left school in 2021 when her calling forced her out of school and guided her to the house of traditional healer trainer Gobela, Solly Mathebula in Mamelodi.
Unfortunately, she could not continue her schooling in 2021 but Gobela Mathebula sent her back to school to finish her studies in 2022 while also busy with her sangoma training.
Khuthatso Ngobeni, also known by her traditional healer name Gogo Xirilo, said it was tough for her because she lost her mother at a young age and her father showed little interest in supporting her calling.
“My father would come to see me once in a while but all financial responsibilities were on my gobela.
“My gobela is passionate about education and he adopted me and when I went back to school, he paid for everything – school uniforms, transport fare and lunch,” she said.
She said he was supportive from the beginning to the end.
“My trainer allowed me space to study, he would wake me up early to study and help me with school work,” she said.
She said the hardest period was last November when she graduated as a healer while at the same time writing her final matric exam.
Xirilo says her passion for teaching started while on her sangoma training and her gobela encouraged her to continue both after recognising her passion for education.
Gobela Mathebula said Xirilo was sent to him by his ancestors.
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“She is my adopted child and it was a test for me.
“Therefore, I took all the responsibility and made sure she continues her studies at school and training to become a sangoma.
“Xirilo made us proud by acing her matric examination with two distinctions and the biggest hurdle was funding her studies.
“We have applied for NSFAS funding and my previous sangoma trainees are also coming on board to sponsor her studies since we are one big family,” said Mathebula.
“We are crossing our fingers it works out well.
“She has answered her calling at a difficult time of her life with her father not assisting her financially.”
Xirilo said she plans to continue helping people as a traditional healer as well as follow her dream to become a teacher.
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