Throughout South Africa the practice of witchcraft is a criminal offence and severely punished; nevertheless the belief remains, and witchcraft, and “Smelling out” are carried out in secrecy. Many hut burnings and solitary murders being undoubtedly traceable to this practice.
It is a well recognised fact amongst those living in the Native Territories that of all the deaths amongst cattle that have taken place there in the recent epidemic of Rinderpest probably nineteen out of twenty have been ascribed to witchcraft.
From the foregoing it will be seen that it is, to the Kaffir, possible that anyone may attain power over disease and inflict a fellow being, usually by calling in the assistance of the Ghosts of the departed, or of natural spirits or [[11]]demons. It will be observed when studying the methods of curing disease that many of the cures are for the purpose of driving out the bewitching spirit. Just as in the ancient folklore of England offensive drugs were administered etc. for this purpose so it is at the present day in native practice.
The Natives believe that several agencies are often the chief cause of disease and have much power over the sick person.
The chief of these are. 1. Icanti. Uhili or Tikoloshe and Im-pundulu. 2. Im-paka. 3. U-buti (poison).
1. Icanti. U-hili or Tikoloshe and Im-pundulu. These three bodies are combined in their action and any person possessed of any one of them must needs be possessed of all three. They are however three distinct bodies.
They are often used by women and in many instances in order to secure the affection of someone of the opposite sex or of their families.
(a). Incanti in its natural state is a rare water snake which is believed to have the power of changing its colour or assuming various forms resembling different objects and has great powers of fascination. [[12]]
Any one who comes upon an Icanti suddenly remains motionless and speechless.
This snake can be preserved in various ways, and is secretly kept by some woman who hands it down to her daughters and they to their female descendants so that disease occuring in a tribe and to which certain families are liable (hereditary disease) is ascribed to the influence of the Icanti, always be it understood with the assistance of his co-workers, the Tikoloshe and Im-pundulu.