NEWS & ANALYSIS

"Ghost is killing us off!" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, January 9 2014

Daily Sun (January 9 2014) - A STRANGER walked into the Mchithwa family's yard in 2011 - and died in the shade of their shack. Now the family say his ghost is starting to kill them off!

ALREADY TWO DAUGHTERS ARE DEAD AND THE FAMILY WONDERS WHO WILL BE NEXT.

They believe the ghost is that of Fanyana Maduna, a 39-year-old man who arrived at their house in ­Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, in January three years ago and asked for water and some pills because he felt sick.

He then lay down and died.

But the family say his spirit was not cleansed from the yard and he is now making their life a misery.

At first the haunting was harmless. But Johanna Mchithwa (50) told Daily Sun yesterday the noisy ghost has now killed two daughters.

FIRST to die was Johanna's ­second born Bulelwa (30) in March last year.

"She began to complain that she kept seeing the ghost - more than the rest of us," said Johanna.

"She kept breaking into sweats and then out of the blue she fell dead in front of us."

SECOND to die shortly afterwards was Johanna's eldest daughter Nombuso (35).

The scared mum told Daily Sun Nombuso complained of having sleepless nights with bad dreams.

"She was healthy, the strongest among us and full of energy. But after complaining like her sister did, she died too," said Johanna.

According to Johanna, post mortems showed that the women died of natural causes.

She said Fanyana's family only offered to slaughter a chicken, even though a goat or sheep was required for the cleansing rituals.

A family elder, Khulu Dlamini (47), told Daily Sun he is terrified because he is the one who gave ­Fanyana water before he died.

"I am scared. I feel as if I'm going to follow my two nieces," said ­Khulu.

"I used to be healthy, but suddenly I have begun to grow a stomach, which gets bigger and bigger.

"I have seen doctors, but they say they see nothing wrong."

Khulu said sangomas told him the problem is the ghost in the yard.

Another member of the troubled family, Sebenzile (52) who stays in one of the shacks, said every time she sleeps she wakes up sweating.

"This ghost beats drums and ­attacks me and others," ­Sebenzile told Daily Sun.

Zandile, another family member, said: "I had to leave my shack to sleep with friends in another yard.

"This ghost makes strange ­noises. We don't know what it's saying. At times I try to ignore it by turning up the TV volume, but that doesn't work."

Daily Sun spoke to Fanyana's mother, MaNkosi (74).

She said she has been to the spot where her son died and guided his spirit with a tree branch.

"My son is not bothering me. He is resting in peace," she said.

Sangoma Mathabo Mofokeng warned that there will be more trouble - even deaths in the family - if the Madunas don't come to perform some rituals.

"They should brew traditional beer and slaughter a goat or a sheep to take their son home," said ­Mathabo.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 291,132 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 3rd Quarter 2013) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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