New threat to tortoises as healers use them to ward off evil spirits

By Tabelo Timse

FREQUENTLY squashed by cars and sometimes eaten by vagrants, the Eastern Cape’s protected tortoise population now faces a new threat – sangomas who keep them to ward off evil spirits.

Charges are pending against a Motherwell healer who has been arrested twice this year for illegally keeping tortoises in his bedroom without and food or water – and without the permit required to keep them.

The sangoma, who is in his 30s, was arrested by the metro’s nature conservation department as part of a clampdown on illegal ownership of endangered species.

Metro nature conservation officer Mark Marshall said: “The first time it was in January when we found 79 tortoises in his room. We gave him a warning and explained to him that he needed a permit to keep these reptiles.”

Last month, Marshall was called by the sangoma’s mother to come and inspect the room again. “To our surprise the room was again full of tortoises. He takes the tortoises from the veld and keeps them in his room. His reason is to keep away bad spirits.”

The second time, 27 tortoises were found.

Marshall said the sangoma was arrested and taken to Motherwell police station where he was charged with the unlawful possession of protected species and keeping protected species in captivity without a permit. The sangoma has not appeared in court.

He collected different species of tortoises such as angulate tortoises, mountain tortoises and parrotbeaked tortoises.

Marshall said his office was determined to take action against such people.

“A person found keeping protected species without a permit will be prosecuted according to the Cape Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974.”

A number of dead tortoises have also recently been found in the veld near lower Richmond Hill in Port Elizabeth.

Members of a reptile appreciation club investigated complaints by residents on Sunday and found the carcasses of five tortoises.

A large mountain tortoise was found to have been eaten and the left-over bones and shell discarded. Marshall said the remaining bits of the tortoises had also been decapitated and their bodies left on a newspaper. There was evidence that a knife had been used to dismember them.

The following day, Marshall and nature conservationist Linda Van Eck found two vagrants living in the area. “Again we have taken strong action and we have evicted the vagrants and all their belongings and told them to look for alternative shelter,” he said.