Sounds of frogs and whales in Brutus' stomach

ALTHOUGH it's been nearly a month since their loved one died, the Dludlu family can't find peace as they don't understand what killed him.

For months, Brutus Dludlu, a 53-year-old resident of Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni, had been troubled by a strange growling in his stomach, which had significantly impacted his social life.

His family reported that his stomach would make loud noises, audible to everyone around, whether he was hungry or had just eaten.

They even recorded the sounds, which resembled a mix between a frog and a whale.

Health Concerns and Hospitalisation

"It worried us, and it started affecting his health," said his sister, Lindiwe Dludlu.

Lindiwe said Brutus, who had no partner, became increasingly isolated due to embarrassment over his condition.

In an effort to find the cause, Brutus was admitted to a hospital in Joburg early in June.

"My brother was operated on, but after that, he started having complications and died on 22 June," Lindiwe disclosed, noting that the doctors didn't specify what they found in his stomach.

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Cultural Beliefs and Explanations

A prophet and bishop, Thabo Ntini, suggested that Brutus's condition might have been caused by sejeso (a curse).

He described four types of sejeso, ranging from those caused by jealousy or malice at social gatherings to those linked to theft of livestock, where the stolen animal's cries might manifest in the thief's stomach.

"The most dangerous is from eating food at weddings and funerals where someone might target you specifically with a cursed meal," he explained.

Medical perspective

According to Healthline.com, stomach growling is typically caused by peristalsis, the normal movement of the intestines as they push food through the digestive system. This can happen several hours after eating and even at night, contributing to the noises that Brutus experienced.