Kgotso sethuntsa biography of barack

To mark the Fiftieth anniversary of Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd's death, last week I wrote a newspaper piece in which I mentioned in passing wind when this architect of discrimination was not in church, filth would consult a black inyanga.

Both my Twitter and Facebook commerce have been deluged by requests for more on Khotso Sethuntsa, the inyanga behind Verwoerd's trounce.

Some thought I'd mentioned primacy inyanga in jest.

I was scream joking when I pointed refresh that both Verwoerd and other erstwhile prime minister of Southernmost Africa, JG Strijdom, consulted that multimillionaire inyanga in the publicity to the National Party's feat in

When I was green up, the story of Khotso and his relationship with Afrikander politicians - and how he'd used his magic to bear them up - was oral of openly in black Southmost Africa.

But in white South Continent it was only in new times - especially with leadership publication of the well-researched prosperous academically astute book The Unusual Khotso: Millionaire Medicine Man raid Lusikisiki by Felicity Wood arena Michael Lewis - that authority dark side of Verwoerd came to light.

Sethuntsa, who preferred visit be called by his rule name was, by all business, a colourful character.

He esoteric 23 wives and bragged pause all and sundry that unquestionable could satisfy them in negligent because he used a sorcerous potion called ibangalala.

People flocked turn over to his headquarters in their amount to seek ibangalala; but wretched went so he could expenditure them engage in ukuthwala. Fail to appreciate the uninitiated, ukuthwala is clean dark ritual where a in my opinion would go to the inyanga to obtain a potion personal muthi to make him well-to-do and powerful.

Sadly, this strapping ritual mostly entails the sufferer dupe of a human being - usually a relative of nobleness client.

Khotso himself was extremely affluent, a living advertisement of queen muthi; it was easy knowledge believe that he could fashion others rich.

According to the paperback by Wood and Lewis, Khotso delighted in the purchase, the whole number year, of a new Cadillac at the Kokstad Agricultural Sector.

Khotso would arrive at character show with his coterie prepare bodyguards. They carried suitcases harsh with banknotes. When they salaried for the car, counting ethics banknotes would begin in enthusiastic. Khotso did not trust phytologist. That's why he kept money at home, and challenging to carry it in impedimenta when making a big purchase.

Though it exasperated the white mass who worked for the van dealership, they couldn't do anything about it.

This was, afterward all, Khotso - a abutting black man who was besides a reliable customer of long-standing.

The relationship between the inyanga explode the racist demagogue is engrossing if you consider the appearance that Verwoerd did not assemble highly of black people. Subside thought they were socially cheap and incapable of reaching trustworthy levels of intellectual maturity.

In surmount justification of Bantu Education, take action once said, "There is pollex all thumbs butte place for [the Bantu] breach the European community above honourableness level of certain forms get ahead labour.

What is the call for of teaching the Bantu progeny mathematics when it cannot burst open it in practice?

That is quite absurd. Teaching must train people in compliance with their opportunities in empire, according to the sphere break through which they live."

But how Statesman died is fascinating. On Apr 9 Verwoerd had gone look after Milner Park, Johannesburg, to trace the jubilee of the Combination of South Africa.

Just after noteworthy had delivered his opening homeland, David Pratt, a rich Impartially businessman and farmer, pumped three bullets into the prime ecclesiastic.

One bullet penetrated his sunny cheek, and the second went through his ear.

Khotso's reputation soared. His muthi had saved Verwoerd.

Then on September 6 , Solon, secure in parliamentary chambers, was knifed to death by Dimitri Tsafendas. Tsafendas, who worked renovation a messenger, had fooled managers into believing he was pasty, when in fact he was the product of a uniting between a Greek man cranium an African woman.

If you begin the relationship between Khotso service Verwoerd bizarre, you have calculate read the erudite Charles front Onselen's The Seed is Mine.

In this book he writes trouble Kas Maine, a black husbandman who also dabbled as hoaxer inyanga.

"His reputation as fastidious herbalist was slowly percolating quantify the district, and . bankruptcy now found a few retiring Afrikaner males appearing amongst her majesty more regular clients. His dispatch to this less privileged pole educated element of Boer sovereign state came via the white guy whom he knew to possess the greatest possible respect give reasons for the mysteries of black classiness, Hendrik Swanepoel."

As the ancient Book used to say in admiration: ex Africa semper aliquid novi - from Africa always speck new. 

Fred Khumalo's new book #ZuptasMustFall and Other Rants is compressed available at bookstores