Chaos as pupils buy ‘powers to become invincible‘
SEVERAL township schools in Nelson Mandela Bay say they have been hit by a storm of unruly and violent pupils who believe they are invincible after paying sangomas to contaminate them with “evil powers”.
The acting principal of one of the Bay‘s biggest high schools said parents had been approached in an effort to get them to control their children, but to no avail.
Dumalisile Makhamba, of Newell High School, said evil spirits commonly known as Amakhosi, had been “transferred” into pupils, causing them to wreak havoc at the New Brighton school. The problem had started at the beginning of the year and grown steadily worse.
Some people believed Amakhosi were transferred into pupils by sangomas, who charged R200, a chicken and a bottle of brandy for the procedure.
Makhamba said school children wanted Amakhosi because they believed they made them invincible. “The pupils assault one another because they want to test the strength of the Amakhosi.”
As a result, there had been an increase in fighting and in one incident a pupil ripped off a classroom door. “They fight a lot and it becomes difficult to get them under control.”
Makhamba said teaching had become impossible because of Amakhosi. Parents‘ meetings had been called, and teachers and principals had also spoken to the pupils to encourage them to get a sangoma to recall the Amakhosi, but without success.
Icamagu Institute director Dr Nokuzola Mndende said it was in fact herbalists and not sangomas who were responsible for transferring Amakhosi. A lecturer at the University of South Africa (Unisa), Mndende founded the institute, which aims to revive African traditional religion.
“Sangomas are called by ancestors and are not allowed to administer medicine without the knowledge of family members. However, herbalists learn how to use medicine to do evil things and are not called by the ancestors.”
Mndende said Amakhosi were a new problem. “In the old days people suffered from demons and today they are bringing back demons in the form of Amakhosi.”
Recently police intervened when six schools were believed to be affected. They were Ndyebo, Masiphathisane, Soqhayisa and Kwazakhele secondary schools and Henry Nginza and Bongweni primary schools, said Inspector Hazel Mqala.
At the time, a special police task force was mobilised to pray for the schools.
Mqala said prayer was the only solution, as transferring Amakhosi was not a criminal offence because no violent force was involved.
What's the first thing these kids do once they get superpowers? They fight each other! Who says comics aren't realistic?
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some livestock to purchase and a flight to book.
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