A well-known traditional healer strangled his live-in lover and hanged himself after suspecting that she was cheating on him.

Samson Munzhelele (53), commonly known as Manowa, of Khubvi Village north of Thohoyandou, was found hanging from the roof of a small mud hut on Monday morning, while his lover, only known as Maria from Itsani, near Shayandima, was covered with a blanket on the floor. Maria’s mouth was covered with a bra and Manowa’s trousers were unzipped.

Both bodies had no visible injuries. Manowa worked a security guard at a local tavern and his lover used to visit him there. He had earlier had some differences with his first wife and he used to stay with his ailing mother, Masindi (73).

The suicide note, found in Manowa’s hut on top of a suitcase, suggested that Maria had been cheating on him and Manowa had had no other alternative but to end both their lives on the same day. Part of the suicide note, which clearly indicates that the tragedy was pre-planned, reads: Mmawe, vha sale na nwananga Rofhiwa. Ndo humbula nda guma. Ndo tuwa. Shedo li a vhulaisa. Tsindi i a vhulaisa. Ndi kale ndi naye. Vha vhale Muhuweleli 3 : 1. Ndi tshifhinga tshashu. Vha hawe kha vha lile. Na vhahashu vha tshi lila-vho. Nwananga Rofhiwa. Loosely translated, it reads Mother, take care of my child Rofhiwa. I have made my final decision and I’m gone. The wages of adultery is death. I have been with this wife for a long time. Read Ecclesiastes 3:1. This is our time. When her family weeps, mine will also weep. My child Rofhiwa.

Manowa, who was once a pastor before he became a traditional healer, was last seen with Maria on Sunday evening. A source said the couple had been together at the local tavern and there was no sign that they were having trouble. People became suspicious when they did not see him at the tavern premises on Monday morning.

Upon investigation, they found him hanging from a rope in the small hut at the tavern. It took more than an hour for the locals to realize that Maria was also dead, because she was neatly covered with a blanket on the floor.

When Mirror arrived at the scene, two hostile plain-clothed senior police officials denied the journalist access to the scene to take pictures, which nearly led to a brawl. "What do you want here? You journalists are troublesome. Go away. This is a very serious case. You will never take the pictures. We are the directors of the scene. You are not even allowed to come close to the red tape. Move away, before we arrest you," threatened one of them.

Upon request, the police officers could not even quote the act that prohibits journalists from taking pictures at the scene. The situation was calmed down after the SAPS communication department intervened and the journalist was allowed to do his work freely.

Capt Mashudu Malelo confirmed the tragedy. "We have opened murder and inquest dockets following the tragic incident and our investigations continue." On the unprofessional treatment of the media, he said: "Journalists must be allowed to do their work freely, as long as they do not disturb investigations on the scene."