Times Of Swaziland: Teachers leave  haunted school

Teachers leave  haunted school
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BY LUNGA MASUKU on 11/08/2013 02:23:00


MGOTJANE – A teacher was last in class at Mgotjane Primary School after
claiming to have been attacked by evil spirits. This was in April.
Gugu Kubheka, who teaches Grade VII, is not the only teacher who has allegedly
been attacked by the evil spirits as another recently vacated his living
quarters after claiming that his life was in danger and continuing to reside
there was a dangerous.
The attacks, said to be affecting both pupils and teachers alike, resulted in
the school being closed on Tuesday and a prayer, involving parents, teachers and
pupils, was held on Thursday. Two pastors led the prayer.
Mduduzi Dlamini now resides in Matsapha and he commutes to work at Mgotjane,
situated past Bhunya. He decided to leave following the encounter which he
termed ‘four men’. After this encounter, he decided that it was not safe to
continue residing at the school and decided to leave.
During the prayer pupils related how they heard a strange voice in the latrines,
which shouted at them for relieving themselves on him. Three girls aged 13, 14
and 16 related what they experienced while in the latrine. They had gone to
answer to the call of nature together as they are close friends who were always
together when at school. Two entered the latrine while the third remained by the
door.
“While they were inside I heard a voice addressing them and it asked why they
were relieving themselves on it. I asked who was in there with them as I
didn’t see anyone enter.
“The shouting became louder and I decided to run away and went to report what
had happened to my teacher but he didn’t believe me,” said Nono*.
Her friends Nobuhle* and Nokwazi said immediately they heard the voice they also
took to their heels. However they never got to see where the voice was coming
from as they were terrified. Nono said after a few minutes another group from
junior classes reported to their teachers that other learners had a similar
encounter while relieving themselves.
“When I got home I told my mother about it and she dismissed me saying I
should stop making up stories. Last week Friday the situation worsened when a
majority of young girls were verbally attacked by the strange voice.
“It was after that incident on Monday that the matter was reported to the
Manzini Regional Education office. The head teacher said he went to Manzini and
the REO said he should handle it with the support of parents because as a
ministry they do not want to discuss such issues without an input from
parents,” said Nono.
Not only the pupils are affected as two male teachers claimed to have been
visited by the strange spirit that leads them to a deep slumber before it
strangles them or sits on their stomachs and suffocate them. Thulani Dlamini
(25) said it used to come once in a while in the past but since the beginning of
the year things have intensified. Thulani said it comes in different forms.
“At times it comes as an evil spirit or in the form of a person. One night in
June, I was in my room when I overheard footsteps of people approaching my
quarters.  My colleagues had once told me of how their sleep was interrupted by
a strange spirit and that got me thinking. “I immediately reached for my bible
and started reading it. As I read my bible I heard one of my colleagues shouting
that he was being attacked by four short men who were trying to strangle him.
“The time was after midnight if I recall correctly. Late that same night, at
around 2am the ‘four men’ came to my house. Two entered through the back
door and the other two through the main door. Upon entering two stood at the
edge of my bed and the other was by the headboard,” said Thulani.
“They kicked me on my back after they could not sit on me or strangle me. They
also tried to press me face down so I couldn’t breathe but they couldn’t.
Just before the crack of dawn Mduduzi came knocking pleading to come and spend
the night in my room.” Mduduzi later moved out of the quarters and now stays
in Matsapha. Jimson Magongo, the head teacher, said in his more than 15 years at
the school, the incident was the worst he ever experienced. He said there were
few incidences that never warranted calling a parents meeting to deliberate on
the issue.
“At the moment one of our teachers is not at school after being attacked by
whatever this thing that saw her leaving the school in April. She never returned
when the second term started. “Her condition worsens whenever she returns.
Efforts are already underway to get her another school even though we still need
her services. As a school we are leaving everything to God in order to protect
our children,” said Magongo.
School Committee Chairperson Nomsa Dlamini said as parents they were concerned
with the prevailing situation at the school.
“In our Tuesday meeting a request was made by some parents to whoever may have
brought whatever this thing to the area to please take it back.
At the moment we are leaving everything to God because we do not have an answer
to the problem,” said Nomsa.
* Not their real names
‘I can’t say what attacked me’
MBABANE – The teacher who left her teaching in April after an attack by a
mysterious element at Mgotjane Primary School finds it difficult to explain the
kind of force that attacks her whenever she sets foot at the school.
She fails to get sleep whenever at the school.
“I remember one night where I had to leave the lights and TV on the whole
night. The situation in my house forced me to remain awake. I tried to sleep but
it could not come. I would hear strange noises that I cannot explain. There were
times I would hear things walking on the roof. After spending the night awake, I
called the head teacher and told him that I was having a tough time in my house.
“He suggested that I go home to rest. When I got home I could get to sleep
without a problem. I returned to the school two days later but the attacks
started afresh and I returned home later that day. I sometimes go to school but
the condition worsens.
I am hoping that after the prayer service I will be able to return to my
children,” said gugu Kubheka. She said she first kept it to herself but after
hearing other teachers discussing how their children in the different classrooms
were being attacked and harassed she revealed what had happened to her. “I am
feeling much better such that I have indicated to the head teacher that I will
be returning next term. I have not lost hope because my children need me and I
have to go and help them prepare for the external exams.
“I will force matters to be back at the school. I am concerned that those in
grade V11 need my help as they prepare for the exams. I teach English and
Religious Education in the two senior classes,” said Kubheka.
Police are not  ‘ghost busters’
MBABANE - Inspector Khulani Mamba, Police Deputy PRO said there was a case of
that nature with the Bhunya police. He said police were called to monitor the
situation at the school.
Mamba said as police there was little they could do because the incident was
more spiritual and they would live everything to pastors to handle.
This follows attacks on pupils and teachers by an unknown element at the school.
Inspector Mamba said their officers were called on Tuesday just to monitor the
situation adding that they returned to their workstation after the school
committee decided to close the school.
“We heard that whatever this thing is was also attacking teachers such that
they have deserted staff houses. Since this is a spiritual thing there is very
little we can do as police to help the teachers,” said Inspector Mamba.