The power of witchcraft

It is well known that witchcraft is well practised in Africa, where people either believe in it or deeply respect it. Living in Africa or visiting Africa for a longer period, you are bound to experience the impacts of witchcraft. Since I was a child I have always been aware of witchcraft, hearing stories, seeing the fear and caution it brings out in people. Here is my latest occurence with witchcraft..

The first experience was last week, when I was in Siphosabadletshe High School, one of the two schools where I work and teach a little bit. Whilst in class with one teacher all of a sudden there is a burst of laughter, and a boy (who is 18 or so) gets up and leaves. The laugher is unstoppable, the teacher tries to find out whats going on. Since they all speak in IsiZulu I cant understand anything. I sit puzzled at whats going on, when next guy calmly walks out of the class, without saying anything. I ask the student next to me to explain whats going on. She tells me that the boys had to leave the class because they are sick.
- Sick?! what do you mean sick?”
- They are sick, they want to sleep with girl
- What do you mean, which girl, what kind of sick?
- You know down there, they have been bewitched, they are sick (she says pointing down to the crutch area)

I laugh slowly understanding the guys must have felt "aroused" during class and therefore left, but sick… I wouldn’t call it sick. After five minutes the boys come back as if nothing has happened. With no look of shame or embarrassement.

After class I discuss this with the teacher and ask her what really happened, she explains that its been a problem in the schools where some boys have been bewitched, so they get aroused during class and have to leave. They have spoken to teachers and the principal about it, explaining that they are sick, they have been bewitched and cant help it, and it has become an accepted problem in the school. Rumours have started to spread that even some of the male teachers have this “sickness”, but hide it by putting their hands in their pockets. So I ask the teacher what they’re going to do about it, and she says there is nothing they can do about it. Just hope they get well.

The next case was today, when I visited my second school Cwakeme(for the first time). Waiting for some teachers to come, suddenly we hear this loud hysterical scream from outside. I go to see whats going on, and find a girl screaming, crying, throwing herself wildly. 3-4 guys try to control her and carry/drag her across the field to the grass. Then there is an outburst where 4-5 other girls start behaving in the same way, running around like headless chickens screaming, and the guys are running to get a hold of them to calm them down. I ask the teachers what is going on, waiting to hear them say that they are bewitched. Which was exactly what the teachers told me, so I ask if I can help in any way- “They need prayers, maybe you can go pray for them”. I quickly cross the field and sit next to one of the screaming/crying girls. Not knowing any prayers in English or IsiZulu, I grab hold of her hands trying to calm her, saying "shhhh shhhh shhh.. breathe" repeatedly, but the girl continues screaming. Finally out of desperation, I start stroking her head and saying all kinds of Christian words in Kiswahili and Swedish to which she slowly starts to calm down, but still crying and breathing heavily. I slowly lift her up to sitting and give her a hug, stroking her tears away so that she can have a glance at me. Then SLOWLY she starts to calm down, and the teachers take over. The girls were all driven home.


Its one of those interesting encounters that brings understanding to culture and belief, and also understanding of people. Even the people that say the do not believe in witchcraft accept witchcraft as a reason for illness, and prayer always seems to be the answer.