SIBUSISO NGOBESE never went for thwasa training but he is a sangoma and registered with traditional healers’ association.
And he takes care of his clients with a very special treatment. His ancestors gave him instructions on how to help people - with snake!
Ngobese has 19 snakes. The sangoma (42) lives with two pythons in his home in Khayelitsha, with the rest at his rural home in KZN.
“Snakes help me to connect with my ancestors. Some people who visit my indumba get healed just because of the presence of the snakes,” he said.
“I sometimes put the snakes in a dish of water and I give people the water to bath and apply on their bodies.”
He said the water also removes bad luck.
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“Many people testify that the water works well,” he said.
He said he recently helped a woman with a boy (12) who had maggots coming out of his nose and ears. The woman said she had consulted five izangoma and Ngobese was her last hope.
“I put a snake in a bowl of water, then gave her the water. She applied it to the boy’s nose and ears and after two weeks he had completely recovered,” said Ngobese.
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“That’s how my snakes work sometimes, but their presence in general means the presence of my ancestors.”
He said even at school the ancestors wanted him to work with them.
“I had dreams that came true. I could tell people that a neighbour was going to die or get sick.”
After finishing school he worked at a mine, but he always dreamt of an old man who gave him instructions to fetch muthi which he used to help people.
“The old man told me to capture a snake,” he said.
After catching a black mamba, he said the madala who often came to him during the day and night told him which muthi to use. He said he helped many people at the mine, but the madala told him to leave the job.
“My ancestors told me to serve the people full time,” said Ngobese.
He said he assists people with diseases such as sugar diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and conditions like infertility.
“Even if your loved one has left you, we can bring them back to you.”
Belinda Abraham, a spokeswoman for Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said anyone who keeps wild animals must have a permit.
“We will investigate. Nobody is above the law and traditional healers are no exception.”
But Ngobese showed the SunTeam his permit for the snakes.
