WHILE other pupils were preparing for their final exams, Khuthatso Ngobeni was also preparing to graduate as a traditional healer.
She passed her matric and obtained two distinctions in Life Orientation and History.
The 19-year-old from Hammanskraal, north of Tshwane, told Daily Sun that her journey wasn’t easy.
Khuthatso said she started matric in 2021 but couldn’t finish it as she always collapsed at school.
“I couldn’t continue with my matric in 2021.
“I was asked to take a break because I always collapsed and that disturbed me,” she said.
She got an ancestral attack when she visited her family in Mamelodi in 2021.
“I went to my gobela crawling.
“I didn’t know him, but I always saw him in my visions.
“Somehow my ancestors took me there,” she said.
Khuthatso had to take a gap year to go and thwasa.
You must be SIGNED IN to comment!
“My gobela took me in from 2021 until now. He paid for all my thwasa expenses and made sure I continued with school,” said Khuthatso, who’s ancestral name is Gogo Xirilo.
She said in the beginning of 2021 she and her gobela decided she should go back to school.
“We looked for a school around Mamelodi and some said I must go back to grade 11.
“I was surprised when one of the schools later said I could continue with matric.”
Khuthatso said last year was a challenging year for her.
“In November, I was preparing to graduate as a thwasa and I was writing my final exams, but my gobela made things easy for me. When it was time to study, I studied and when it was time to do thwasa things I did. Each had its own time,” she said.
She said she never loved or understood why she had to thwasa.
“When I understood what being a traditional healer is I enjoyed it a lot and I am happy to be here,” she said.
READ | Worst performing school now one of the best!
She said she is now going to study teaching at the University of Joburg.
Her gobela Solly “Mahlasela” Mathebula said: when Khuthatso came to his home in 2021 he knew it was a test from his ancestors.“It hasn’t been easy but I fought and now she is going to university.”
“My late grandmother once told me that one day I will initiate a thwasa from Hammaskraal because that’s where I went to thwasa and that’s exactly happened,” he said.
He said when Khuthatso came to him, her family followed her.
“I told them I couldn’t keep her without their permission so they granted her to me and his father has been helping out where he can,” he said.
He said his graduates and clients said they would help donate things for her when she goes to university.
“I’ve been supporting her with everything and will continue helping her,” he said.
He said if there are people who also want to help her, they are welcome to do so.
