The Voice (Francistown)
Moses Maruping
25 March 2008
Francistown — A terrified family in Molepolole believes their days are numbered after church elders identified the strange hairy creature found in their yard as a thokolosi. The Kwatsi family's worst fears were confirmed when a senior Eloi church pastor determined that a disgruntled relative was bewitching them. Relating their ordeal, Keitumetse Kwatsi, 27, told how last week they were awoken by the constant hooting of an owl that they were unable to chase away. "It was scary as we have never had an owl visiting our yard at night. This bird is believed to accompany witches at night and this is what startled us the most." She said when they woke the next day, they found a baboon's paw laden with different coloured beads and connected to what looked like a horn filled with traditional medicine. When they looked closely, the paw showed signs of life.
"My niece found the strange thing in the morning when she left the yard to go to school. It was placed right by the main gate. When we looked closely it appeared to be breathing. We covered it with an empty crate of Chibuku and waited for some of our elders."
Kwatsi said the elders told them that the creature wrapped in a hyena skin belonged to witches.
Her elder sister, 40-year-old Sethomme Kwatsi, said that in the past various venomous snakes, lizards and owls had visited them.
"I think someone is working tirelessly to wipe out our entire family. We lost our father in 2005 and in 2007 we lost our mother. "We always find dangerous snakes such as mambas and cobras in the house which we believe have been sent by our enemies."
On one occasion, they discovered a huge monitor lizard placed right by their doorstep.
"We were shocked as we don't know why anyone would wish to cast an evil spell on us," she said.
When The Voice team arrived at the Kwatsi yard on Friday afternoon, neighbours had gathered in large numbers to come and witness what many believed was a thokolosi.
Several people in the crowd could be heard murmuring that it was the work of witchcraft. "This thing could not just have landed at this gate from the sky. Someone brought it here. I think they were here last night and this thing probably fell from their broom," said one neighbour.
Startled villagers kept their distance in case the thing moved. Another speculated that the creature might be a witch who couldn't keep up with her companions and when the sun rose, changed into something else for fear of being stoned to death.
The Eloi Church pastor who identified the object as a thokolosi, sprinkled Holy water and coarse salt on the hairy thing and prayed before burning it to ashes.
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