In Mabopane, north of Pretoria, three suspects were detained for excavating graves, one of whom was a traditional healer.

 In Mabopane, north of Pretoria, three suspects were detained for excavating graves, one of whom was a traditional healer.

A sangoma and his team members have been arrested in Mabopane in the City of Tshwane after they were caught digging up people’s graves.

On 15 July 2022, Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) regional members reportedly received a complaint from security guards who were working the night shift at a graveyard about people digging up graves.

According to the Tshwane Metro Police, the officers responded swiftly and rushed to the graveyard in Mabopane. Upon arrival they found three people inside the grave busy digging.

When the three suspects were questioned, they could not account for what they were doing and where they got the permission to dig up the graves.

A sangoma was caught red handed digging up graves in Mabopane. Image: Tshwane Metro Police Department. “Among the three suspects was a Sangoma. They were allegedly looking for dead people’s bones for muti purposes. The suspects tried to offer a bribe of R1 500. They were then arrested for violation of graveyard regulations, malicious damage to property and bribery.”

Tshwane Metro Police Department

YOUNG TRADITIONAL HEALER COMMITS SUICIDE

In a separate incident, a 15-year-old sangoma who was a learner at Nombika High School in Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal has reportedly committed suicide after she was suspended because of her attire.

The learner was in the spotlight recently after it was revealed that she was suspended from school because of her attire and missed some classes and exams. It was previously reported that she is forced to wear ibhayi (which is what sangomas wear or drape themselves with) over her uniform due to her ancestral calling.

In an interview with 1KZN TV, the young sangoma said she was suspended by the principal who said ibhayi is not part of the uniform.

“The principal asked me to hide ibhayi by wearing it underneath, I then explained to her that if I am not wearing it, especially when I am not at home I feel sickly,” the late learner stated.

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