Power couple
Couple and season 2 stars of reality show Izangoma Zodumo, Sabelo and Pearl Sifundza, discuss their calling, family and how divine powers brought them together.
Izangoma Zodumo
Season 2 Wednesdays Mzansi Magic (*161) 20:00
Reality shows offer a glimpse into people’s lives. Like a fly-onthe-wall, the camera captures intimate moments in which viewers gain a perspective into each cast member’s world. And it’s the same in local series Izangoma Zodumo, where a trio of sangomas are out to dispel misconceptions surrounding their spiritual gift.
There’s outspoken fan favourite Makgotso “Gogo Maweni” Makopo, who viewers met in season 1. Besides juggling motherhood and several business ventures that include an events management company, she’s also a gobela – an instructor chosen by ancestors to guide and teach trainees to become sangomas.
Season 2 also introduces endearing couple Sabelo and Pearl Sifundza. Sabelo is a chief traditional healer, while Pearl a nurse and sangoma. “With no holds barred, we give viewers insight into our marriage and calling,” says Sabelo, adding that he joined Izangoma
Zodumo to show viewers that sangomas are “normal people with normal lives”.
“Pearl and I work together. We’re hands-on parents to our three kids, and we love each other dearly. We’ve opened our home for the country to see that we’re just like any other couple. We laugh together and we disagree, but we always make up,” adds Sabelo.
SANGOMA STARS
A typical week at the Sifundza residence includes Sabelo and Pearl consulting with their clients. They perform rituals such as when they travelled with one of their initiates to a river for a spiritual cleanse. They hang out with their kids and, as Sabelo admits, the pair always makes time for each other. “My family is the key to my happiness, and I’m glad we can share our first TV experience together,” explains the
36-year-old Sabelo.
DISMANTLING MYTHS
Pearl emphasises that some traditional healers are recognised health practitioners and they should, therefore, be treated as such. “To some extent, sangomas operate like general practitioners. They examine their clients, determine the diagnosis and, depending on the case, they give their clients medication with which they heal,” explains the 35-year-old Pearl. She expands on the similarities that sangomas and doctors share: “We go through a process of training too. Although becoming a sangoma isn’t university-based, it’s a spiritual journey wherein we learn about the practise and in the end we have a graduation ceremony,” she adds. “Some people are scared to consult with sangomas, and some only want to visit us at night when no one can see them because they aren’t comfortable with people knowing that they go to sangomas. If people see that we are just like them, they can ease their fears and come to us without any misgivings.”
A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
The couple believes that they are soulmates, brought together by divine powers. In 2011, Sabelo had been praying for a wife and during Easter time, he met Pearl. While they were dating, they encountered strange occurrences that were so rare, they deemed that the events were signs from God and their ancestors indicating that they’re meant for each other.
“When we met, I wasn’t a traditional healer, but I always had an interest in nurturing and counselling people,” says Pearl, who’s gift was awakened months after dating Sabelo.
“We would have the same dreams. At this stage, we weren’t living together. Can you imagine my shock when I would call him to tell him about my vision, only for him to tell me that he had the same one? It was miraculous,” explains Pearl. The couple tied the knot months later and they are inseparable. “I knew then that our union was bigger than the both of us. We were brought together for a reason.”