Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

A monkey, which died mysteriously last week, will be given a "huge send-off".

Its keeper, traditional healer and priest Nhlanhla Cele of Umlazi, said the monkey was kept in a funeral parlour in Durban.

Cele, 34, said he has already paid the undertaker R2 970 to bury his monkey, 2Pool, with dignity on Sunday.

He said 2Pool died last Thursday after losing a lot of blood through his nose.

Cele told Sowetan yesterday that he has lost a great healer in his monkey.

"I found 2Pool while he was still very young. He went through training like all healers until he made the grade.

"He then started helping me to fetch the muti and heal people, especially women who wanted to get married," he said.

Cele said his monkey excelled as a healer.

To fill the void left by 2Pool, Cele is training a goat to be a healer.

He said 2Pool ate only "chicken and yogurt".

"Whenever I was away, he would help heal sick people and give them muti. I have lost a right-hand man who did a sterling job."