Beitbridge – In a scene more akin to a fantastical tale than a modern government operation, a traditional healer was summoned to the newly upgraded Beitbridge Border Post to cleanse a warehouse believed to be tainted by seized occult items.
Nkosana Madoka, known within traditional healing circles as Sekuru Fabiano, was invited to the multi-million dollar border post to neutralise a collection of ornaments believed to be traditional tools used to cast bad spells. These items were among goods confiscated by Customs and Excise officers, raising concerns about their potential malevolent influence.
The strange and unsettling items, numbering seven in total, included a horn with fur, a chimpanzee skull, a red, white, and black beaded small loaded cloth bag, a dried monkey face, a plate full of what appeared like animal fat, a blueish little bag that appeared to be breathing, and a broken clay pot.
The presence of these items within a government facility prompted the unusual step of calling upon a traditional healer to perform a cleansing ritual, highlighting the intersection of traditional beliefs and modern governance in Zimbabwe.
Zimborders general Manager Nqobile Ncube, whose company built and will maintain the border for 17 years from the time it was commissioned, promised to investigate and revert to us but was yet to respond by the time of going to the Press.
Other officials including those from Immigration, a contracted security organisation and other State agents did not offer meaningful explanations.
Zimra spokesperson Gladman Njanji referred questions to ZRP in Beitbridge. “Zimra has a clear mandate at all ports of entry, which includes facilitating legitimate trade and travel and protecting civil society. For security matters, please contact the ZRP Beitbridge,” he said.
Last Thursday, in broad daylight, Sekuru Fabiano entered the border post through the passenger terminal, passing through the police post as he strode the length of the complex. Dressed in white decorated trousers and a tracksuit top, with traditional healer’s attire strapped around his body, beads hanging from his neck, and a female hat with an animal skin sewn to it adorning his head, Sekuru Fabiano moved with purpose. Unidentified people walking next to him struggled to keep pace.
After entering through the departure side as if South Africa bound, he turned on the exit towards the commercial warehouse section.
NewsDay crew arrived on time to see him rush towards the bay at the warehouse where the ornaments commonly referred to as “zvikwambo” were.
Sekuru Fabiano murmured a few words to the ornaments and declared them weakened. He then paced away, without talking as a small gathering of Customs and Excise officers, shipping agents and security guards followed at a distance.
When asked by NewsDay about his purpose, he turned and bellowed that someone was disappointed after their goods were confiscated. “They were trying to get rich and now are dissatisfied with what officials did. The ornaments are trying to harm them but I have neutralised them. They can now destroy these ornaments, they are weak,” he said.
Sekuru Fabiano then addressed the small gathering, declaring, “I am now going to finish this. These magic tools will not work, they are a lie that is why I am here. I have the 10 commandments here and I have spoken to it. Go and do as I say,” while pointing his beaded miniature knobkerrie into the sky.
He claimed he had been invited by Zimra to cleanse the area as the “children” (employees) were now afraid to work.
Shortly after Sekuru Fabiano’s departure, security personnel carried the seized occult items to a designated area, doused them in flammable liquid, and set them alight, effectively destroying the objects.
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