MHLANGATANE – There is only one question in the minds of many emaSwati following the deaths of six people after they drunk siwasho – What happened?
Following the death of six people after drinking the concoction, Eswatini News has learnt that a 33-year-old man has been arrested by the police, charged with murder and attempted murder of the deceased persons. It is alleged that the suspect not only poisoned the siwasho, but also the water at the homestead where the incident allegedly happened. The name of the suspect is known to this publication, but will be revealed after he has made a court appearance.
*Jama, who is now in police custody, is said to have poisoned the siwasho, allegedly targeting a woman he is said to have been in love with. It is alleged that he was in love with a married woman *Jelly but that she is said to have ended the relationship as she had a husband. However, Jama is said to have been unhappy about this and is alleged to have threatened the woman’s husband. It is alleged that after the threats, the matter was reported to the police and that Jama also threatened Jelly, warning her that he would kill her. Jelly was also one of the people who consumed the poison but she survived after being treated at the Mkhuzweni Health Centre. The matter was being investigated by Buhleni Police Post. However, while the investigation was still ongoing, six people died. Attempts to reach Jelly proved futile as she could not be reached on her cellphone.
Suspect
Despite that the matter was still being investigated, there are suspisions that the suspect might have added poison to the siswasho and the water at the homestead. On the day of the incident, family and guests who had attended the cleansing ceremony preparations were not aware that the poison had also been added to the water. This publication further gathered that the suspect is also said to have attempted to commit suicide but he was arrested at his home area around Mliba. A contingent of police officers is said to have tracked him down after revelations that he might have poisoned the people.
He is currently being guarded by the police while being treated at one of the hospitals in the country.
The Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector, Nosipho Mnguni, confirmed the arrest. She also confirmed that he was arrested for suspected poisoning. The suspect is expected to appear before the Pigg’s Peak Magistrates Court.
Affected
Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday that about 25 members of the Zion Church are said to have been affected. They are said to have all drank the siwasho but some miraculously survived. Yesterday, our sister publication, the Times of Eswatini reported that six people had died after allegedly consuming siwasho. It was reported that among those who had died were three women, a male, minors and also an infant believed to be two years old.
The alleged incident is said to have happened in the early hours of last Thursday, while the family was preparing for a cleansing ceremony of a widow at a Ndwandwe homestead at a place known as eTimambeni, under Mhlangatane Inkhundla.
The widow was also among the six who had died after consuming the allegedly poisoned siwasho.
Noteworthy, in some churches, siwasho is a drink prepared by a priest and served to members. siwasho is usually a concoction of ingredients, which are usually kept a secret by the priest. Worshipers then drink the concoction for various reasons, including the belief that it could remove bad omen from their lives.
It is not just unique to Eswatini but used in various religious sect around the world, referred to by different names.
Deaths linked to siwasho have been reported before though there has been disputes as to the real causes.
Investigations by this newspaper unearthed that trouble is said to have started when it was observed that some began to complain of excruciating pain after drinking the siwasho. This is said to have happened after midnight, leading to Thursday.
Complaining
One of the women, Nompumelelo Matsaba, had narrated how she first began to feel weak after drinking the siwasho. A pastor then is said to have assisted her, assuming that she was ‘getting in the spirit’ and then assisted her by laying her down as is normally done in churches.
However, when he noticed that she continued complaining, he is said to have asked that she should be given milk but she quickly sucked some from her breast and felt better. She was also rushed to the hospital, where she was eventually drained of the poison.
It is alleged that some of the congregants were saved because there were not enough cups at the homestead. They had to wait for the others to drink before their turn but then noticed that those who had drunk the concoction were acting strangely and realised that something was amiss. A pastor, Mthobisi Shongwe, who is the leader of Pentecostal Church in Zion was also among the members who were at the Mkhuzweni Hospital when the incident happened. Shongwe, when speaking to officials, revealed that he regularly held prayers.
He narrated that on the day of the tragedy, he prepared the siwasho as normal. Shongwe said that on the morning of the prayer, he asked a church member to prepare the concoction as he normally did. However, he narrated that the person who had been asked to prepare the concoction left and asked someone to look after it.
Pain
Shongwe then narrated that when it was served to the worshipers, they then began to behave like they were experiencing pain and realised that something was wrong. He revealed that some became sick and that he used milk and a disinfectant mixture for them to drink and vomit. Shongwe said this helped some of the worshipers but that for others, it was too late. The pastor had also alluded that someone may have added a poisonous substance to the concoction while it was being prepared. Noteworthy, in June, this publication reported on a similar incident where a leader of another church died with his wife and their 12-year-old daughter in Mbabane.
Near their bodies, there was a basin, spoons and indayela, which is another type of concoction. The priest had recently established a church at Mdzangwini and was about to be ordained. It was reported that a helper, who assisted the family with gardening and other maintenance work, was first to be at the scene.
Concoction
The church leader is said to have normally prepared the concoction using tea, incense, milk and other substances and would take it to church to share with other members. Meanwhile, Bishop Samson Hlatjwako, who is the President of the League of African Churches was called on deaths linked to tiwasho (concoctions) since there had been other cases reported in the past. The bishop first revealed that he had also been informed about the incident but added that he would not speak much on it. He expressed concern that the incidences of deaths gave a wrong image about tiwasho.