Ntokozo Khumalo laid to rest after drowning in Katlehong river
Ntokozo, who was one of the two young traditional healers who died in the Ekurhuleni River, have been laid to rest.
“Go well, my grandson, be a good ancestor,” These were the words of Gobela Busisiwe Khumalo as she bid farewell to her grandson, Ntokozo Khumalo, at the funeral held at Siluma Section in Katlehong on Saturday, 2 November.
Ntokozo (22) and Owami Maphosa (18) drowned in the Zonkezizwe River in Ekurhuleni on Sunday, 27 October.
The duo was part of izangoma who attended a ritual cleansing.
Owami fell into the river, and Ntokozo tried to save him, but they both drowned.
The emotional Gobela Busisiwe said she received her calling in 1971, and Ntokozo followed in her footsteps to become a sangoma.
“Ntokozo had the calling at a very young age, and whenever clients came to consult, Ntokozo would tell me.
“I used to tell him that he’s not a sangoma, little did I know he would take the calling,” said Busisiwe.
She said Ntokozo helped her thwasas learn about ancestral duties.
“He taught my thwasas how to dance and also assisted in selecting muthi for my clients. I’m heartbroken to lose him; I was expecting so much from him,” she said.
Ntokozo’s father, Mxolisi Thomo, said his son was a bubbly person.
“We had a video call a week before he died, and he had shaved his hair. I told him he looks like me, he laughed and said I’m too old and he stayed young. Little did I know that my son’s life would be cut short,” said Thomo.
The Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) youth leader, Phumlani Thwala, said Ntokozo died like a soldier in battle.
“I know families and everyone is asking themselves why this has happened. Ntokozo and Owami died while performing ancestral duties,” said Thwala.
He urged traditional healers to seek another river to perform the rituals.
“The place is now becoming more dangerous because we can’t be losing people at the same spot,” said Thwala.
