The snake that was introduced as a character in the new witchcraft-themed plotline on Generations - The Legacy. The snake that was introduced as a character in the new witchcraft-themed plotline on Generations - The Legacy.
Many South African soap operas are now taking the route of exposing or showcasing the practice of witchcraft within their plots.
Not so long ago, Rhythm City had viewers glued to the screen after the community formed a mob against Puleng and her mom. The community wanted to burn them alive because Puleng’s mother gave muthi to Nikkie while she was pregnant so that she would lose her baby, eliminating her as competition to Puleng in a bid for Suffo’s love.
In Isibaya, an episode showed a family who thought their loved ones were dead and buried only to find that they were alive, having been made into zombies by witches.
Recently, Generations - The Legacy included a snake as one of the cast. The snake is there to allegedly fix all the problems Tshidi and Gaddafi are facing after they stole Tau and Karabo’s son.
These scenes display beliefs that exist in the lives of real South Africans. People are not only entertained but also influenced by some of these acts. As the Cultivation theory states, “this cultivation of attitudes is based on attitudes already present in our society and that the media takes those attitudes which are already present and re-presents them bundled in a different packaging to their audiences”
It further suggests that people are likely to believe what they see on TV and imitate it.
According to an article by Independent Online titled ‘Sin, sedition and Satanism in South Africa’, Dr Attie Lamprecht, senior superintendent at the SAPS detectives' head office who specialises in harmful religious practices said, "There has always been an interest in Satanism among the youth, but due to the massive influx of films, books and music, more and more youngsters find Satanism fascinating. They become so-called free stylists who start practising white magic. This does not let them cause harm to others, but in time, they turn to black magic".
The introduction of the snake in Generations - The Legacy sparked complaints on social networks that the soap opera promoted witchcraft, even though witchcraft and other occult practices such as Satanism have been a longstanding practice in South Africa, hence the establishment of the SAPS Occult crime unit in 1992.
The South African Pagan Rights Alliance urged the disbanding of the unit, claiming that it “contravenes the law of evidence, and whose members constitute an evangelic Christian spiritual-warfare ministry against constitutionally protected religious minorities in South Africa.”
SAPS Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said that the unit was not disbanded,as “it is used as an investigation support capacity which supports investigators with specialist knowledge if and when such crimes scenes and investigations are handled”.
He added that no prosecutions were made based on occult crimes; however occult movements were seen as a motive to serious crimes like murder or assault.
“Although occult crimes are not as common as other forms of crimes as this type of crime involves a belief in the unseen, the crimes are prosecuted according to legal definition of the respective crime,” said Naidoo.
