Body found

Image: Archive photo

Woman – believed to be sangoma – found floating in KZN river

The body of a woman, believed to be a sangoma in her thirties, was discovered floating in the Umzimkhulu River on Tuesday 16 June.

Body found

Image: Archive photo

Police in St Faith, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) made a gruesome discovery on Tuesday 16 June when the body of a woman, believed to be a sangoma or traditional healer, was discovered floating in the Umzimkhulu River in the Gumatane area. 

The full identity of the woman, presumed to be in her late thirties, remains unknown and police are appealing to the public to come forward with any information that might help identify her. 

Police appealing for information

Early inspection of the body did not immediately inform police that any foul play had occurred, as there were no visible injuries. 

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said that a member of the community had informed the police that they had made the unpleasant discovery. 

“St Faiths police are appealing for assistance to locate the relatives of a woman believed to be in her late thirties who was found floating in the Umzimkhulu River at Gumatane area.”

“On Tuesday, 16 June 2020 at 6:00, St Faiths police together with the police officers from the Port Shepstone Search and Rescue Unit attended to a report of an inquest at the Umzimkhulu River.”

Bracelets and necklace suggest woman was a sangoma  

She said that the woman had an amputated right leg (presumedly due to an injury incurred prior to her cause of death) and was wearing bracelets and beaded necklaces that suggest that she was a sangoma. 

“On arrival, they found the body of an unknown woman floating in the river. The victim had no visible injuries. The victim had her right leg amputated and gold teeth on the upper incisors. She is light in complexion and has a heart tattoo on her left shoulder as well as seven star tattoos on her neck. She has braided hair (Opelepele). She was found wearing a black and brown striped dress.”

“She is believed to be a sangoma as she wore beaded bracelets and anklets.”

While the early suggestions are not pointing towards her death having resulted by a violent exchange, the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa is growing by the day, and violence towards and involving traditional healers has been a frequent concern too.