Andrew Telekelo. Picture: Supplied
TRADITIONAL healers in the Northern Cape have condemned the drowning of a 24-year-old traditional trainee during a cleansing ritual near Delportshoop.
Andrew Telekelo was reportedly undergoing the spiritual cleansing ritual in the Harts River on Sunday at 7am when he drowned. He was in the company of two other people.
Apparently, the victim’s instructor went to the family after the drowning to inform them of the incident. Telekelo’s body was found in the river at around 7pm by the SAPS Search and Rescue unit.
It is believed that Telekelo was originally from Delportshoop.
The incident occurred despite stern warnings by the police to communities to refrain from swimming in rivers following the opening of sluice gates at various dams due to the recent heavy rains.
Another man drowned in Gong Gong on November 13 after the water level rose rapidly while he was fishing on a small island in the Vaal River. He was swept into the river.
A farm worker drowned in Modderrivier on November 10 while trying to cross over a low-water bridge.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said the Delportshoop police are investigating an inquest following the death of Telekelo.
Kock confirmed that the victim was involved in a spiritual cleansing ritual when tragedy struck.
“The group performed the ritual in the Harts River near Delportshoop when Telekelo drowned. His body was retrieved by the SAPS Search and Rescue unit several hours later.
“An autopsy will be performed and no arrests have been made yet,” Kock added.
The association condemned the incident and distanced itself from it.
The provincial secretary of the National Unitary Professionals Association for African Traditional Health Practitioners of South Africa, Benny Collins, said the instructor did not follow the association’s procedures in prioritising the safety of trainees.
“We are all aware that it is not yet safe to take trainees to rivers that are in flood. We do not tolerate incidents where the instructors force matters and risk people’s lives, said Collins.
“This is what drives community members to not trust us and they go to ‘fly-by-nights’,” he added.
Collins said that the organisation has been flooded with calls from angry members who are demanding answers as to why the ritual was forced.
He said the instructor in question was only granted membership by the organisation a few days ago, after having been on a waiting period.
“We are totally against what the instructor did and want him to be held responsible for his actions. We also held a meeting as an association and agreed that all the trainees will be removed immediately.”
Collins urged members of the community to contact the association whenever they enrol family members as trainees, for record purposes.