Recluse builds mini Lunar Park

In an interview with B-Metro the jovial Sikhosana, who however, showed no signs of being mentally challenged said people come from all over to have a look at his work of art which has become a bit of an art tourist attraction.

a�?I never thought I would get this response when I started off until now when Ia��m now realising that it has become a bit of an art tourist attraction. People come from all over to knock on my door and talk about the art work. I have always looked at the bottoms of cans and thought that I would make a really good art,a�? said Sikhosana.

How the unique work started?

Sikhosana, a third born in a family of 11 of which three of his siblings are pastors at different Pentecostal churches, revealed that he was instructed by his ancestors in his sleep to resign from his job and move to his rural home and construct a unique art attraction that would bring people to the area.

His calling was a different one as he was anointed to save the nation and got orders from his ancestors.

He said at first he tried to resist the calling, but later realised that his life was in danger as he was involved in a number of mysterious accidents within a short time, forcing him to move to the directed place (Mawabeni) where he built his attractive home using litter.

a�?I used to work at Vitafoam and in 2008 I started having strange dreams where there was an old man appearing before me almost everyday.

a�?He told me that I had been chosen to save the nation and therefore directed me to this land saying I should move and build my home.

a�?I tried to ignore the message, but he became violent as he would come and start strangling me saying I should listen to his instructions,a�? said Sikhosana.

Afterwards, he had no peace in his life and he left his job and moved to stay with his mother at their rural home, but things got worse.

A spirit kept bothering him and he got involved in a number of accidents forcing him to choose between death and obeying the commands.

a�?I had a lot of household property so I took it and moved to this place. I then started building my home using litter which I picked up on the streets.

a�?I just design all these things in my head as you can see there are bedrooms, dining rooms and sheds where you can just relax during the day.

a�?It is unfortunate that I was ordered not to get married by the ancestors so I have to stay alone. I once tried to have a girlfriend, but failed to be intimate with her.

a�?Our relationship lasted for five months and the only thing I could do was touch her, but the ancestors made me weak reminding me that I must never get in between a womana��s legs. I am a virgin,a�? he said, giggling.

He further revealed that he knew his family did not understand his behaviour, but he just had to follow instructions from the ancestors as they communicated with him on a daily basis.

a�?This is my home and I will never move. My mother and relatives at times come to visit me and I do the same when I miss them,a�? he said.

What his mother said:

Speaking to Bhekania��s mother Otalia Sikhosana was not an easy thing as she constantly broke down while narrating her sona��s ordeal.

a�?Bhekani used to be very intelligent and hardworking, but I do not know what really got into him. He started behaving in a strange manner after his fathera��s death claiming to be a healer.

a�?As a family we all believe in God except for him who just started talking of ancestors. We tried to warn him saying he should not entertain things he does not know, but he never listened.

a�?His three other brothers are pastors, so we used to gather, praying for him but things never changed as he continued talking of ancestors.

a�?I was shocked one day when he told me that he was moving to stay alone. I followed him begging him to return home and he refused. Ever since 2008 I spend days and nights praying for my son because I do not understand why he chose to believe in such things,a�? said the teary woman.

However, she said though a lot of people have advised her to seek help from traditional healers, she would never do so because she was a Christian and would never allow Satan to defeat her.

a�?A lot of people have approached me saying I should consult traditional healers and help my son, but as a Christian I say over my dead body, I will never do that.

a�?One day God will hear my prayers. If Bhekani was bewitched or whatever, he will one day come back to his normal senses,a�? she said.

The woman never ruled out the issue of ancestral spirits being behind Bhekania��s behaviour as she revealed that one of his aunts was a traditional healer and the same spirit might be haunting him.

On the other hand, Bhekani has never been mentally examined and his mother said the family was not financially stable to take him to psychiatrists.

Villagersa�� sentiments:

Bhekania��s neighbours at his newly found home said they had good relations with him and they lived in peace as he was kind and loving.

a�?Bhekani used to be a cobbler working under a tree at the same place where he has built his home. He finally moved and started building his China Centre.

a�?He is very hardworking and kind. Whenever he has a problem or needs mealie-meal he comes and asks from us.

a�?Even our children like playing at his place and we have no problem with that because he is not a violent person,a�? said Thobekile Ncube.

She also said he was one person they felt safe to have around as they were sure that he would never rape them as he was instructed by ancestors not to be intimate.

Other villagers said they believed Bhekani was normal, but just needed to appease his ancestors and start healing people.

a�?Bhekani is normal and his family has to appease their ancestors. No ordinary man can do what he is doing and there is more to his lifestyle than what meets the eye,a�? said another villager Mthokozisi Moyo.

What Zinatha said:

Zimbabwe National Traditional Healersa�� Association (Zinatha) president George Kandiero said the best way to help Bhekani was for his family to consult people with strong cultural background and understand what was happening in his life.

a�?The best route to take is for that mana��s family to consult and it is not like they will be appeasing spirits, but just finding out what is happening.

a�?In that way then they will know which steps to take in helping him. At the same time, he might be refusing to move because that place is a�?anointeda�� and his wonderful words might signify something.

a�?The answers to all this can only be found if they engage traditionalists,a�? said Kandiero.

What the council said:

Umzingwane Rural District Council chief executive officer Ndumiso Mpofu confirmed that they received a report about Bhekani as he was illegally occupying council land. The relevant authorities approached him and he told them the same story that he was given the land by his ancestors.

a�?We will try and have a meeting with his family because it seems his issue needs to be dealt with in a cultural way.

a�?We will also engage the Ministry of Transport because he is now causing a lot of accidents as his a�?crafty worka�� disrupts drivers causing accidents at that spot.

a�?The other thing to take note of is that the man is very innovative and has so much skill so we will try and offer him land so he moves from near the road to somewhere he will continue with his crafty work,a�? said Mpofu.