Beware ‘The Tokoloshe’

As children, most of us heard the rumours of the tokoloshe, a creature that would haunt you (and possibly eat you) if you weren’t at home before sunset. Hairy, creepy and obviously evil, this mythological spirit with a face that no one quite knew made your skin crawl.

A shared story among Namibians and South Africans, the latter have come up with a horror movie based on the terrifying monster, aptly titled ‘The Tokoloshe’, which was “raised in a dark forest before he came to our city”.

Five minutes in, you’re bound to get a fright. It starts with Busi, a young and ambitious woman (played by Petronella Tshuma) who finds herself in the city of Johannesburg.

Although jobs are scarce and millions strive to make a living, Busi manages to secure a spot as a cleaner in a rundown hospital somewhere in the bustling South African city. The cinematography is eerie, the screenplay is raw, and though it’s not necessarily a Guillermo del Toro production, it still captures the essence of a horror film thanks to Jerome Pikwane behind the camera, and this story hits 10 times closer to home.

As Busi tries to navigate life, suppressed demons haunt her in the form of an evil spirit and even a child is thrown in the mix and she must do everything in her power to stop it from taking her away. But no matter where Busi goes or where she hides, the daunting beast always seems to follow, until she has to make a decision to go back into her past, confront the person that is making her life a living hell and fight to live again.

The accolades for the movie are quite impressive: Its world premiere took place at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea, while it opened the Durban International Film Festival in July last year. It also premiered at London’s FrightFest Film Festival last August. Undoubtedly, this movie has created a lasting impact and is bound to stay at the back of your mind for a couple of days.

Other stars include Khanda Nkosi, Dawid Munnar, Yule Masiteng, Harriet Manamela and Coco Merckel.

According to Pikwane, one of the main points the film explores is patriarchy, and this is evident through Busi’s growth as a person. How she has suppressed her past has greatly affected how she perceives life. Until she faces her past abuse, she will always be haunted, and this may touch a nerve with many.

‘The Tokoloshe’ is now available on DStv’s Showmax.

– Mickey Nekomba on Facebook; @MickeyNekomba on Twitter

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