Sangoma threatenens squarter with ancestrail spirit attack

FOR many years sangoma Christina Marakalala (65) received new thwasanas in her indumba.

But last week squatters demolished it and set up a hair salon in a shack there.

Daily Sun reported that now the angry sangoma from Zandspruit squatter camp, north of Joburg wants the squatters to remove their shack or face her ancestors' anger.

"This is an insult to my ancestors," she said. "This place belongs to the ancestors and somebody decides to invade it just like that. Now I don't have a place to receive mathwasana because some people decided to steal my place."

Christina said one of the squatters told her of his plan last week.

"He told me he's just there temporarily, but now he has built a big shack. This person is not going anywhere," she said. "We don't want to argue with him but he must just move out!"

Christina said they have been using the place for over five years.

"When we arrived here it was an open space and we decided to build a kraal and indumba to enable amathwasana to beat their drums. We have an ancestral ceremony next month but we don't know where we are going to accommodate mathwasana and the guests."

Christina said they reported the problem to the community leaders. The people with the salon shack had been promising to move on, but they haven't done so.

"It seems their business is important and ours is not!"

Community leader Kenneth Lekalakala said people should ask permission before building shacks because some places have owners already.

Bongani Dlamini said he's only there temporarily and he will move.

"I'm looking for a place and as soon I find it I will move," he said.