One would expect that after black people were colonised, enslaved and stripped of their dignity by so-called European Christians, the ancestral spirits that black people had served with fear and adoration, would explain themselves.

This is because in all the cases of African independence, not even one country gained independence through African magic. Actually, all the nations became independent after destitute black people turned to either Christianity or maybe Islam. But did the ancestors call an imbizo to explain where the misfortune came from? No, instead the ancestors demanded more animal sacrifice and blood. And rather than explain to black Africans how come they could not protect and defend Africans and prevent slavery and apartheid, the ancestors torment anyone who refuses their so-called calling with anger, accusations of neglecting them and ruthlessness.

Strangely enough, the ancestors do not mind an offering of brandy, whisky and beer manufactured by the hands of the people who humiliated their “loved ones” Seemingly, the ancestors do not mind implementing punishment like more poverty, sickness, violence and death to the same people who they could not defend against oppression and racism.

So, on top of land loss, the ancestors can only add more miseries, restore nothing and invent more curses. This can’t be more apparent than in the controversy surrounding actor and former sangoma Palesa Madisakwane. Madisakwane has recently turned back to the salvation of the Lord and abandoned what she calls her misleading ubungoma  journey.

But her democratic right to freedom of worship has offended many and not least her former colleagues. These colleagues have vehemently tried to scare her by threats of oncoming fury of the ancestors. But they cannot explain why it took Christianity and not this fury to realise a democratic SA. Or is this fury reserved only for black people?

I think it’s high time that the ancestors accept the freedom of choice and right to worship whatever/whoever a person desires and if that is unacceptable, let them take it up with Jesus and fight him instead of poor humans.

Khotso K.D Moleko Bloemfontein