The Rise of Satanism in SA

You know you have a problem when the politicians start poaching your problems for their political gain. We’ve heard the minister of Sport and Culture, Fikile Mbalula, calling those who booed President Jacob Zuma after the South Africa vs Brazil football match satanists.

Satanic messages are seen spray-painted on a statue of Christ June 6 at the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Erin, Wis. Commonly known as Holy Hill, the shrine is operated by the Discalced Carmelite Friars. (CNS photo/Stephen Olszewski, Catholic Herald)

It was all downhill from there. At a rally in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Public Enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba said: They are not the devil’s brothers. They are not the devil’s relatives. They are the devils themselves.

It would seem like satanism is being blamed for different failings. The ministers, who at least are aware of the deeper sentiments and concerns among township denizens, know they can use the terminology of satanism to cover up for government failures and collapsing values.

On a more serious note, the fear of actual satanism in townships is at a high. Several cases of teenage deaths at the hands of their peers have been linked to the rituals of satanism. Last year a court in Palm Ridge, Gauteng, sentenced a 15-year-old self-confessed satanic ritual murderer to ten years in prison, two of which were suspended.

The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) is definitely of the opinion that satanic rituals are on the rise in township schools. They say many of them are not reported. Apparently Gauteng is the worst affected province, although there have been several cases reported in the Western Cape, as well as in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.

Evidence suggests that where satanism has been reported, there is also evidence of bullying, followed by a sharp surge in violence in the school, or vice versa. This is followed by an increase in the level of absenteeism among pupils.

Sadtu is currently engaged in an awareness campaign that involves prayer and exorcism.

An investigation by the Daily Voice newspaper revealed shocking cases of satanism at local high schools in Cape Town. As a result, the Western Cape Department of Education is engaging school authorities, psychologists, social workers, churches and police to combat the growing problem. Satanism education has now been introduced as part of a drastic new programme to combat occult trends.

Children at Risk

In many cases, clergy and educators say, absent parents are to blame as their neglected children turn to devil worship in search for an identity. Children as young as 13 years old are performing demonic rituals. These include slaughtering cats, cutting their own flesh and drinking human blood.

Paddy Attwell, director of communication of the Western Cape Education Department, has confirmed the authorities are aware of the satanic practices at some schools. He cited two reports of learners being involved in satanism last year, in Ceres in February and Tafelsig, Mitchell’s Plain, in May.

The department sent specialised police units to investigate reports of children carrying out satanic rituals. The findings of the investigation have not yet been published. But from the testimony of teachers we know that the first symptoms are pupils wearing dark eyeliner and nail varnish and drawing on their hands to hide their cuts. Upon investigation it is almost always discovered that most of these kids have serious issues of neglect at home.

These kids are in an emotional state and cut themselves in these so-called satanic rituals to relieve the pain. They also draw graffiti about their love for the devil. They do research in libraries and on the Internet about Satanic rituals.

As they proceed on the way to satanism, their practices include acts such as breaking into churches to steal religious items for ceremonial purposes; a crucifix or a statue of Mother Mary. There have been reported cases of hosts being stolen from the tabernacles of Catholic or Anglican churches. Part of the profaning ritual would be to urinate or defecate on it, or perform sexual gestures with it.

And then it becomes serious, involving human sacrifice in extreme cases.

Some parents and learners are opting to seek help from their churches and relatives. I am not sure if I’ve missed something, but I have not heard of the Catholic Church being involved in this awareness campaign, or whether it has its own drive.

Strange, since counteracting the devil and satanic acts is the Church’s business.