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High-flying African witches told to go low

High-flying African witches told to go low

WEIRD WORLD: Witches in Swaziland are forbidden from flying their broomsticks at altitudes of more than 150 metres from the ground, after a safety-minded government crack-down on supernatural aviators.

Thursday 6 June 2013 03:12 PM


Photo: Alejandro Linares

Photo: Alejandro Linares

A spokesman for Swaziland’s aviation authority stated that any witch found flying a broomstick above 150 metres would be arrested and would face a fine of up to 500,000 rand (B1.6 million).

“A witch on a broomstick should not fly above the limit,” Civil Aviation Authority Corporate Affairs Director Sabelo Dlamini told the Star newspaper.

Witchcraft is taken seriously in Swaziland in southern Africa, where traditional witch doctors are licenced and pay an annual tax to the government.

Mr Dlamini revealed the policy in response to questions from reporters about a private detective who used a remote-controlled drone to take surveillance video.

Mr Dlamini explained that the drone was restricted by law to flying below 150 metres – the same limit imposed on toy aircraft, children’s kites, and witches on broomsticks, for example.