Police divers have recovered the body of a missing traditional healer at Crocodile River in the Kanyamazane area of Mpumalanga.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said the body of the missing man was retrieved on Sunday, after he vanished in the river on Thursday.
Last week, police received a complaint of a possible drowning at Crocodile River, and different stakeholders including the police diving unit were summoned to the scene.
“It is reported that two males, a prophet and a traditional healer, were at the river praying and performing rituals. On the said date, according to the prophet, while performing those activities he never saw his friend again,” said Ndubane.
The prophet shouted out the traditional healer’s name and frantically searched around but to no avail.
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The prophet later packed their belongings and went to the traditional healer’s house to report the incident. In the aftermath, the prophet accompanied the missing traditional healer's wife to the police station to report the ordeal.
The police diving unit conducted the search from Thursday until the body of the traditional healer was retrieved on Sunday afternoon.
Emergency medical services certified the traditional healer dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, acting provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi has appealed to community members to be careful when conducting rituals or baptism activities at rivers and dams.
“As we are approaching Easter weekend, we would like to alert members of the public who are planning to hold baptism or ritual activities, especially in rivers or dams to be careful because we normally experience drownings.
“We encourage members of the public to use safety precautions to prevent loss of life during this period,” said Mkhwanazi.
The provincial police commissioner said “a lot of theft and robbery cases” have been registered after people performing rituals leave their belongings unattended.
IOL