BULAWAYO – A viral video of women’s underwear hanging from trees has exposed a clandestine cult in Pumula South, Bulawayo, where self-proclaimed prophets are accused of exploiting vulnerable women by demanding sexual acts as a form of prayer.
The shocking practices, which allegedly promised women solutions to love and marital problems, have ignited fury among residents and prompted calls for a government crackdown on illegal churches operating in the area.
The investigation began after a video circulated online approximately three weeks ago, showing numerous pairs of underwear displayed grotesquely in a bushy area. Subsequent inquiries by Zim GBC News uncovered a disturbing pattern of manipulation, where prophets allegedly convinced women that intimate contact was necessary for their “healing.”
One 39-year-old woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, defended the ritual she underwent last year.
“My dream was to get married young… But I was always unlucky in love,” she said.
After being introduced to the prophets, she visited the shrine where she was instructed to strip naked.
“He washed my panties in what he called holy water, then began touching me while praying… He told me to leave my panties behind, saying they contained evil spirits,” she recounted, claiming the ritual led to her partner paying lobola shortly after. When suggested she was abused, she retorted,
“I knew what I was doing. He helped me.”
Another source claimed the site was frequently busy, with prophets even catering to sex workers seeking to retain clients.
However, the revelations have been met with widespread condemnation. Resident Fidelis Tshuma highlighted the scale of the problem, stating,
“We have over 16 churches in the bush. I once saw a man with 30 women. The ground was littered with over 50 pairs of wet panties.”
He urged the Environmental Management Agency and Bulawayo City Council to clear the area.
Village head Vidco Maseko condemned the practices, noting,
“When we grew up, we never saw this style of worship. Government must intervene, but carefully, so as not to violate freedom of worship.”
Ward 17 Councillor Skhululekile Moyo, who visited the site, expressed environmental concerns, stating the rituals were “causing drought.”
She called for authorities to help cleanse the area, a sentiment echoed by traditional group Nkethabatshabe Amasiko, which is planning a cleansing ceremony.
The group’s leader, Lameck Joseph Moyo, questioned the cultural impact, saying,
“Imagine buying your wife underwear only for her to go and remove it for another man in the bush?”
Residents are now calling for stricter regulation of religious activities to prevent further exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
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