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MEET James Mataliyane Lunika, a former auditor-general of Kaiser Matanzima’s Transkei homeland regime, once right-hand man to the famous and certainly the most feared medicine man in Transkei, Khotso Sethuntsa.

Although the mention of Khotso’s name still brings fear to many people’s eyes, octogenarian Lunika’s face lights up when he speaks about the extraordinary Lusikisiki herbalist.

He refers to Khotso as Murena, a SeSotho word for chief.

“He (Khotso) was a very a mysterious man. I am 84 today, and even to me his life is still a mystery,” said Lunika, as he adjusts himself for the interview on a sofa in his home in Southernwood, Mthatha.

Lunika said he met the mysterious medicine man when he was in his teens in Kokstad in 1936.

Lunika was in Standard 5 at the time.

“He was my neighbour, and he would ask me to prepare wood for him to make a fire. He was a popular hunter in the area at that time. I believe that was perhaps where he gained some of his knowledge of traditional medicine,” said Lunika.

But to this day he believes that the herbalist-turned-millionaire had “extraordinary powers” to help people, something which made him very popular with people from all walks of life.

“His house, the Mount Nelson (near Lusikisiki) was always full of people, rich and poor, educated and illiterate; and of all kinds of races.

“Some wanted growth in their businesses and others just wanted to succeed in their careers. They would pay him big money for his assistance.

“Others would come just because they wanted to see him,” he said with a smile.

Lunika believes that to this day many people attribute their wealth and success to the late Khotso.

Lunika strongly believes that Khotso was instrumental in KD Matanzima becoming president of the Transkei.

“I remember vividly Murena saying that the first man (in the presidential race between KD and Botha Sigcau) to come to see him would be the one to win the Transkei presidency. KD came first to seek assistance, and he indeed won,” said Lunika.

According to Lunika, international and domestic tourists came by the busload to see Khotso because they had read about him in newspapers and magazines.

The Mount Nelson itself was adorned with sculptures of some of the most feared animals, such as lions and various kinds of snakes.

Khotso was Paul Kruger’s number one fan, said Lunika, and at times it seemed that the medicine man almost worshipped the Afrikaner leader.

“Every corner of his house was adorned with Kruger busts and other items. This often had people puzzled, but when people asked him about this, Murena would say that his mother once worked for Kruger.”

Though feared by some people because of his mysterious powers, Lunika claims that Khotso had “genuine love for people”.

“No one would leave without having had something to eat or drink; to him that was very important. And I do not think there was any bad motive behind that gesture, it was simply Murena showing ubuntu,” he said.

Lunika said because of their close relationship, Khotso would always introduce him to visitors as his “Prime Minister”, or the “Prime Minister of the Mount Nelson”, but he insists that there was really no significance behind this title.

“I usually helped him manage his books and finances, and on most occasions would travel together with him,” said Lunika.

To many people, Khotso was known as somebody who had mysterious powers, both to build and to destroy.

Lunika said this left him impressed by Murena’s extraordinary powers, but at times also frightened by the extent they reached.

One incident that he still laughs about is an attempted armed robbery that went awry.

“We were coming back from a bank in Kokstad after withdrawing huge sums of money. Apparently we were being followed – Murena noticed the suspicious vehicle that was trailing us. Two white men pulled us off the road.

“They pointed revolvers at us, but Murena was unafraid. He asked: ‘Are you looking for Khotso’s money?’ and led them to the boot.

Then suddenly, (they) jumped, screamed and fainted – apparently they saw some very scary creatures,” he said.

During the attempted robbery, another motorist tried to stop, thinking there was a breakdown.

“Murena just waved them on, saying that everything was okay and that he was just chatting to his new friends (the robbers) who had some gifts for him.”

Lunika said there were similar incidents, and the ending was always the same.

The Extraordinary Khotso: Millionaire Medicine Man of Lusikisiki by Felicity Wood in collaboration with Michael Lewis is published by Jacana and is available countrywide.