Six-year-old Joslin Smith has been missing in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape since Monday, 12 February 2024. Her mother, Kelly Smith, has appeared in court on charges of human trafficking and kidnapping, following her fellow accused’s confessions that they sold the little girl to a sangoma for R20 000 for muthi.
This case has put the spotlight on child trafficking, a heinous crime that wreaks havoc on victims and communities, and sangomas who use dark magic.
Traditional healer Lukholo Hombelithongo Mrwetyana says not all herbalists or traditional healers use body parts to make traditional medicine or muthi, and people should be aware so they do not become victims of dark practices.
Hombelithongo, from the royal house of Mrwetyana in Cala, Eastern Cape, is an executive member of the Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council in South Africa.
‘It tarnishes traditional healing’
As an igqirha/isangoma in Makhaza, Cape Town, he shares insights into the use of body parts in muthi creation, something he condemns as a traditional healer, and believes it tarnishes the practice of traditional healing practices.
He says nobody is immune to the influence of human body predators.
“Whether you’re a man, woman, old, or young, there are medicines made from human body parts for various purposes.”
Lukholo Hombelithongo Mrwetyana
Hombelithongo explains that those seeking wealth growth often approach practitioners who specialise in this dark magic, who may request certain body parts to fulfil their needs.
Unfortunately, out of desperation, these people may exploit vulnerable persons seeking success in business, wealth, or “respect in certain positions”, he says.
He also mentions that animals aren’t spared from this practice, as some people use animal body parts in making medicine. However, whether the sacrifice is justified depends on the purpose of the medicine.
“Those who use human organs to make traditional/dark medicines tarnish ubugqirha/ubungoma,” he says.
It creates fear
These practices are often pursued by those seeking quick solutions in life, such as having big cars or establishing businesses without putting in the necessary effort or planning. This includes people aiming for community respect without earning it through genuine means, explains Hombelithomngo.
“These practices create fear and diminish belief in traditional leaders, herbalists, or amagqirha/izangoma,” says Hombelithongo.
“People living with albinism, virgin girls, and those with zero chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable to these practices,” he notes, saying dark muthi practitioners believe they make strong medicines.
In his roles as a father, concerned citizen, and member of the Traditional Health Practitioners Council of South Africa, Hombelithongo strongly condemns these acts. He underscores that such practices are wrong and unholy under any circumstances.
Look after your safety
Hombelithongo clarifies that not all herbalists or traditional healers use body parts to make traditional medicine or muthi, but he emphasises the importance of prioritising safety to avoid falling into this trap.
Meanwhile, Momelezi Ngubesizwe ka Dinga, an African spirituality activist, researcher and analyst (traditionalist) from Tsomo, Eastern Cape, emphasises the importance of relying on one’s family, both in the physical and spiritual sense, for safety guides when consulting traditional healers.
He suggests that family members and ancestors are the most trustworthy guides in protecting people from fake practitioners who are using dark medicines made from human body parts in any form of guidance and safety in general.
Ngubesizwe notes that some issues could be avoided by adhering to traditional customs as one is more protected if he or she is practicing his or her traditional customs correctly. He recommends that one should consult ancestors through fasting for four to eight days, utilising only impepho and lineage herbs/(izilawuzekhaya) to connect with ancestors, while seeking a safe journey in the quest for any kind of answers.
Additionally, Ngubesizwe asserts that those who resort to using human body parts are fake and not authentic traditional healers or traditional doctors (amagqirha /amaXhwele).
Genuine healers understand that obtaining medicinal plants involves climbing mountains; digging your herbs, performing rituals as told by ancestors through dreams or visions, and ancestral guidance will never guide or tell you to kill a person and make his or her body parts medicine gaining more for power, he explains.
“We sacrifice animals not people in our costumes culture and traditions, camagu.”
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Healing muthi
Nokubonga Mepeni, a social activist from Samora Machel, Cape Town, says she doesn’t believe in traditional medicine if it involves using human body parts.
She says, “If using traditional medicine means others suffered and begged for mercy, I’d rather not have that power.”
Mepeni is sceptical about such practices, especially making dark medicines from human sacrifice.
Meanwhile, Mibongo YoFaku from Khayelitsha, Cape Town, asserts that traditional medicine derived from the soil, guided by ancestral wisdom, heals people.
She believes these herbs tell the story, maintain health, and embody the essence of the community. YoFaku points that the environments where these herbs grow are sacred, and their potency diminishes in the presence of others.
“Those who engage in human sacrifices do not represent us, the amagqirha, who are healers of the world. They pursue their own agenda, which is not in line with the true essence of ubugqirha,” she adds.
Protecting your children and yourself
When it comes to children, Senzekile Ndlovu, a social work supervisor at Incema NPO in KZN says indicators such as poor hygiene, children roaming the streets instead of attending school, and unsupervised children sent to shops in the evenings, expose them to danger, including human trafficking.
Lucky Nhlanhla Dube, a martial arts instructor from Town-Two in Cape Town, highlights the necessity of having self-defense skills to keep yourself safe.
One of the main benefits of martial arts is the ability to defend oneself, he adds.
“It’s not just about learning physical skills; it’s also about developing the mental strength and confidence to take action when needed. Having pepper spray is also crucial, so you can defend yourself from a distance,” Dube recommends.
He further cautions, however, that having martial art skills and pepper spray doesn’t guarantee that you won’t be abducted. COmmunities have to be vigilant and always keep their eye on their children.
ALSO READ: Impepho: A mighty plant with spiritual and healing benefits
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