Traditional healer admits to owning huge snake
In Goo-Lobekwe ward in Kanye, a 27-year-old man, Phemo Keakaetswe is well-known for keeping a large snake.
Passers-by often spot it from a distance and rush to report to the police. Keakaetswe is a traditional doctor and he operates from a compound where the snake resides.
The two-room house is adorned with red cloths mostly used by traditional healers, draped over the small windows. The yard has an entrance structure but lacks a proper gate.
On a Sunday afternoon, The Midweek Sun visited the most feared traditional healer for an interview, to hear how he continues to live with a fearful snake.
The yard he operates from is poorly fenced, consisting of a two-room house. One side of the house is reserved for the snake, while on the other side he examines and consults his clients.
His presence has stirred gossip within the ward, drawing the attention of law enforcement officers who have long been hesitant to remove the snake, allowing it to remain with its owner.
Upon entering the yard, young married women were seen entering and leaving the house, each driving her own car, spotting wedding rings, and without their spouses.
When invited into the house after the departure of the married women, The Midweek Sun observed thin wisps of smoke rising from various burnt items.
A pile of traditional medicines was visible, and the traditional doctor, Keakaetswe, was seated near the corner at the entrance. On the wall of the tiny house hung a green and white church uniform.
Keakaetswe confessed to The Midweek Sun that he has a snake, which he has kept under his roof for 11 years. He mentioned that the snake was less than a meter long when he first acquired it, but has since grown
significantly, now surpassing three meters in length.
"I took the snake from Shakawe after seeing it in a dream. It is a great gift from my ancestors. All my grandfathers were traditional doctors, and my trainer and mentor was from Shakawe," he said.
He explained that he consults and engages the snake to seek traditional medicinal help for his clients.
"The snake is familiar with my family and three kids, and they are familiar with it as well. It even relaxes more with my family than with me," he said.
He revealed that he is able to cure diseases such as diabetes, sore feet, epilepsy and other diseases in general. "Ke ruile dilo tse dintsi tsa sedimo, noga e ke e hilwe ke sedimo," he emphasised.
Keakaetswe has previously lived in caves, even in deep waters in South Africa, such as Ngwari and Njelele. He also leads the Galilee congregation as its pastor and does not eat meat. He stated that if he consumes meat, he could find himself killing humans, which is not a part of his trade.
The law officials are said to have previously attempted to capture the snake and fled the scene as it acted out against them. When asked if they indeed fled out of fear when out to confiscate the snake from Keakaetswe,
Superintendent Vincent Pitseetsile, the Commander of Sejelo Police Station could only say he was aware of the incident.
He described it as sensitive and stated that it is under investigation. "It is a case that is still under the intelligence unit, and we are yet to engage other community leaders in tackling the case," Pitseetsile said.
When asked if the snake falls under the category of government trophies, Pitseetsile hinted that there is a list of snakes listed as government trophies, and he is not yet sure if the said snake falls under this category.
The Midweek Sun team could not establish the kind of snake being referenced, but could hear weird sounds coming from the next room, whose door was tightly closed. The snake was in there, and the doctor could not share why especially married men were a more popular feature at his compound.