Thembisa – A family in Hospital View, Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, is living in constant fear following accusations of witchcraft levelled against them by their neighbours. The source of the accusations? A large South African python that mysteriously appears on their roof every evening at approximately 7pm, only to vanish without a trace.
The unsettling saga began two weeks ago, according to a 29-year-old family member who spoke to Daily Sun on condition of anonymity.
He described his first encounter with the reptile: “Two weeks ago, around 7pm, I went outside the house to get some fresh air. I was standing outside when my body started shivering. When I looked up, I saw a huge snake. I was very scared.”
He recounted his attempts to scare the snake away and his subsequent search for neighbours to help, only to hear a strange sound – a wheelbarrow at the back of the house falling over – leading him to believe the snake had departed.
However, the python’s appearances are not isolated incidents. The snake resurfaced on Saturday, 7 December, while the family was away from home. Neighbours spotted the reptile and alerted the family.
“My mum was called and informed that there was a huge snake in our yard,” the 29-year-old explained.
The family’s distress is compounded by the accusations of witchcraft circulating within the community.
The 29-year-old expressed his frustration: “We’ve been living here for a long time. My mum is turning 60 next year. Why would she start practising witchcraft at her age?”
He further refuted allegations that he himself was using the snake for ukuthwala (a traditional practice involving the abduction of a person for purposes of witchcraft): “I’m job-hunting and have nothing to my name. If I had decided to thata lento (ukuthwala) as they accuse us, I’d be rich and driving an expensive car.”
Adding to the family’s anxieties, the homeowner has refused to speak publicly, fearing for her safety due to the escalating accusations. The situation has reached a point where professional snake catchers were called in to attempt to locate and remove the reptile. However, their efforts proved fruitless.
A representative from a Centurion snake catching service explained the challenges: “We catch snakes found in houses. We’re looking for a South African python. It’s a protected species, and you can go to jail for killing one. If they see the snake, they must keep an eye on it because if I don’t know where it is, I won’t be able to find it.”
They also highlighted that while the python is non-venomous, it poses a threat to smaller animals, such as dogs, should it become hungry.
The nightly appearances of the python, coupled with the unfounded accusations of witchcraft, have created a climate of fear and suspicion within the community. The family’s ordeal underscores the deep-seated beliefs and anxieties surrounding traditional practices in some South African communities and the devastating consequences these beliefs can have on innocent individuals.
