There is nothing like Satanism in Botswana

Ferdinand Berkhof | Monday May 12, 2014 10:42

It was just before major exams were to be written by the students in that school. There had been similar incidents in other schools in the district before, where students, conveniently just before major exams, had spotted dithokolosi or other evil creatures, leading to mass hysteria and disruption of normal school life.

Last week, a number of teenagers were apprehended in some caves in Maun. It had been reported that the caves had been used as a mortuary in the past and that the teens had gathered there to worship Satan. Luckily, after talking to the teens, local police officers were cool-headed enough to release the children the same day. Residents of the area have reported they have seen the teens drinking alcohol and having sex. Teens drinking alcohol and having sex? No way! I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some dagga in the area as well. The teens had told the police they were there to worship. Well, people worship in very different ways. It is alleged one of the teens told the Maun Customary Court she had been there to worship a beast with ‘a head like a buffalo and an elephant’. Could you kindly make up your mind girl? The last time I saw them, buffaloes and elephants had heads that were remarkably different.

At the same time, the media report that there is a cult leader in Maun who claims to be ‘the beast’. He also claims he has three followers in Maun. Three. The rest are abroad and he communicates with them ‘in spirit’. He says he will destroy the ‘prophet’ TB Joshua as he has greater powers than him. TB Joshua? Well, I have written several pieces on false prophets not so long ago so let me not elaborate on that particular issue right now. The point I’m making now is that this ‘cult leader’ with three followers is front page news in some of the national media. His age? The boy is nineteen years old. And we take this seriously? Yes, we do. Because instead of simply disciplining these mischievous kids and ‘cult leaders’, we reward them by organising all-night prayer sessions at the kgotla and at the caves and by giving them extensive media attention. I can assure you that these kids are celebrating all the attention they are getting. They are having a ball and will soon come up with something new to ‘leave the residents of Maun living in fear’.

It is not difficult to deal with teenagers. I have taught teenagers in Maun for over ten years, both in the public and private sectors. I have never beaten any of them and rarely had to use other types of punishment. At the same time, the exam results of my students have always been excellent. Dealing with teenagers is all about communication and respect. And as we all know or should know, respect is not a one-way street. It is just to make it very clear from the very start what you expect from them. If you’re consistent in that, it’s smooth sailing all the way. Another important thing is to never forget what it was like to be a teenager yourself. Empathy is essential.

So instead of giving these so-called Satanists exactly what they want, which is what all these prayer sessions and sensationalist articles in the local media really do, parents and teachers should think about the role they play in these children’s lives. Too often, children don’t get any guidance at home unless things get completely out of hand. The same goes for the school situation; children are allowed to go far, further and further still, until things derail completely, before any interventions are made. I strongly believe there is a lot of laziness concerning the upbringing of our children, both at the home front and at school. Forget about Satanism and all the other nonsense. Let’s take the time to raise our children.