In this edition of My Muti Story, former Moroka Swallows midfielder Humphrey "Cellular" Mlwane reveals what he saw in the dressing room in his first season with the club.
The Dube Birds were fighting relegation and needed all the help they could get to overcome their opponent on that day, as a solution a Nyanga was hired.
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"When I arrived at Swallows things were tough," Mlwane tells snl24.com/kickoff.
"I remember we were fighting relegation. It was tough. Do you remember James Ngidi?
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I think he was part of management working with the likes of David Chabeli. All I know is he was too involved. He is the one who brought all these boys from Sebokeng, the likes of Chippa [Steve Lekoelea] and Phiri Tsotetsi to the club.
"We were playing Free State Stars away who were also fighting for survival.
"The management brought into our dressing room some guy who smeared some black stuff on our bodies. He stood in the door carrying some feathers.
"You had to crawl through his legs as you left the dressing room for the pitch, and the Nyanga would hit you with the feather on your back as you did that.
"You were not allowed to speak or look back once you passed through his legs.
"He would smear the black stuff just between your eyes, and put some on your tongue. You would then be told not to speak to the opponents or shake hands with them. Only the captain was supposed to talk to the referee.
"I can say the muti worked because we drew the game (laughing). All we needed that day to survive was a draw because if we had lost, we would drop deeper into relegation.
"Even as we returned to the dressing room we had to again crawl through his legs.
"Though I never believed in muti, I had to go through with the ritual like everybody else. I believe muti saved us from relegation."