Sangoma ‘saw’ spirits of people buried on farm

IT WAS exactly a year ago that Makhosi Nonhlanhla “Mshanelo” Nkomo first had dreams of the spirits of the people buried on Glenroy Farm.

“It was a large crowd of people, faces I did not know. Some were burned and some were bloodied,” said the sangoma.

In those dreams, which Nkomo described as like watching TV, she said she could see herself going to the area and standing on a hill overlooking two gravesites.

She did not recognise the place or how to get there, so thought she could do nothing and left it at that.

It was only when she fell ill, her throat tightening, making breathing, eating and sleeping difficult, that she thought to approach the office of Premier Senzo Mchunu about her visions. But to no avail. Nkomo eventually went to the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast and at first was denied entry to the site that would eventually reveal mass graves.

Still weak, she took a chance and told representatives of the owners of the land she was a relative and “begged” to be allowed access.

She was initially taken to a smaller site of graves nearest to the farm buildings. At this site, graves were still distinguishable but there were no tombstones.

“I told them the ancestors had showed me another site, one I could see from the hill – the people there wanted me to cleanse them, to free them.”

She then approached the office of Arts and Culture MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha, after the general elections last May.

Following protocols, including meeting the tribal council led by local chief Mjokwana Mqadi, the matter was brought to the attention of members of the provincial executive council, who on Monday viewed the sites.

Nkomo said she was not shocked by the dreams since she often had visions.

“This is a gift. I am a healer but visions come to me often… (they) are God’s will and the wish of the ancestors.”