The body of a 30-year-old sangoma Mopipi Abraham Phiri was today retrieved from the Olifants (Lepelle) River in Malipsdrift area.
This is after attempting to fulfill his vow to the community of Machakaneng that he would be able to find a 12-year-old boy who was swept by the same river on 22 December 2019.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the sangoma allegedly told the villagers that the boy was still alive and that he needed R13 000 to retrieve him from the river.
He said the community allegedly agreed to first give him R10 000 and that he he get the balance after the job is done.
On Friday at about 17h00 the man indeed got into the river and was presumed drowned as he never resurfaced.
The police were then called and the Search and Rescue Team was activated.c
His body was recovered after it emerged from the shallow waters on the river banks, several kilometers from where he got into the water.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Serivice in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba today visited the scene and condemned the actions of the sangoma who performed dangerous rituals that ended his life.
Ledwaba went further and warned all community members to desist from entering flooding rivers for whatever reason to avoid drowning.
Meanwhile, the search for the boy is still continuing.
The human remains that were found by a fisherman in the same river on Sunday 29 December 2019 are still the subject of DNA examination.
The Police have opened an Inquest docket and investigations are continuing.