Sangoma Baba Ngwemabala reveals how she was poisoned, accused of rape and threatened with guns

She is one of South Africa’s favourite sangoma personalities. She broke into fame after joining the reality show Izangoma Zodumo season one. She did not return for season two but she still remains a fan favourite. Baba Ngwemabala, real name Thandiwe Prudence Magagula explains why she went under the radar after the reality show and the hardships she faced.

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POISONED

After being on the reality show, she trended for her positive energy and viewers loved her direct nature. But Baba Ngwemabala says the reality show left her scared in a way.

“We did the show. The good side of being on the show is that business was good. I had long queues, I had thwasas (initiates), my house was full of clients,” she says.

“Then someone decided they could not bring me down through sangoma practices then they decided to send a lady to come and thwasa. She was very good and handy.” But then Ngwemabala started getting sick.

“It was a slow poison. I had extreme fatigue that no one could explain. When I went into the ndumba and I couldn’t work. I started cancelling clients. I was losing money. It went on for a week or so.”

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She was advised to see a doctor.

“This girl jumped… that was red flag number one. She had made remedies for me but mixed with the poison.” Baba Ngwemabala says that she suffered.

“I got worse when my doctor came to my house when she heard I was dying and couldn’t move or walk.” She was taken to the hospital and went into a coma.

“A part of my liver was damaged and got cut. The poison ate the liver and I was fortunate it didn’t go to my other organs.” Baba Ngwemabala says upon her return home, she had a spiritual awakening.

“My ancestor pointed out the person who poisoned me.”

She asked the thwasa who sent her. “There and there, she sang like a canary and confessed who sent her to poison me and I cried.”

ACCUSED OF RAPE

Baba Ngwemabala says one person came to thwasa at her home and turned people against her.

“They plotted against me. People came into my house with guns and my thwasa opened for them,” she says. She says the last straw was when she was accused of raping one of her thwasas.

“I can stay celibate for two years. Why would I rape a ithwasa?” she asks. But she is grateful people realised it was all lies. “I don’t even fight through social media.” Baba Ngwemabala says there was an alleged legal case against her but it never made it to her home.

“My dad got a stroke from all these things and he passed on. He would walk me to the river and we would be chased with guns and we would run,” she says. “The people behind all this, drove into my garage door while my dad was there. I knew who was behind this.” But she’s glad that she survived it all.

Zimoja