A 31-year-old woman from Dukuduku in Mtubatuba is reportedly experiencing a baffling medical condition characterised by rapid aging, which she and local community members attribute to a romantic relationship with a Sotho man named Kgomotso from Limpopo.
The woman, whose identity is being withheld for privacy, claims that her physical appearance has deteriorated drastically over a few months, leaving her looking decades older. Once vibrant and youthful, she now exhibits wrinkled skin, hair loss, and frail limbs symptoms more typical of advanced age.
According to her account, the troubles began shortly after she started dating Kgomotso, whom she met through mutual friends. “After we became intimate, I started feeling weak. Within weeks, my face changed. People no longer recognise me,” she told local authorities. The relationship has since ended, but her condition persists.
Community leaders in Dukuduku have expressed alarm, with some suggesting supernatural causes. “This is not normal illness. We have seen similar cases where traditional medicine is misused to harm others,” said a local elder who requested anonymity.
Traditional healer Thandi Ndlovu, consulted on the matter, speculated that Kgomotso might have used a rare concoction or a “love charm gone wrong.” She warned that certain muti used for binding relationships can backfire, leading to physical deterioration if rejected by the victim’s body.
Medical professionals, however, urge caution. Dr. Sipho Dlamini, a general practitioner in Richards Bay, noted that while rapid aging is extremely unusual, conditions like progeria or severe autoimmune disorders could produce such symptoms. “Without a full clinical examination and history, drawing supernatural conclusions is premature,” he said.
Local police have confirmed that no formal criminal case has been opened, but they are monitoring the situation. Efforts to locate Kgomotso in Limpopo have so far been unsuccessful.
The woman now lives in seclusion, relying on family support. She pleads for help from government health authorities. “I want my old self back,” she said. “I never imagined love could do this to me.”
As the mystery deepens, health officials have urged the woman to report to a nearby hospital for comprehensive tests. Meanwhile, the story has sparked widespread debate on social media, with many questioning the intersection of traditional beliefs and unexplained medical phenomena.
