“YOU! MURDEROUS WITCH!” Captain Claassen is less than impressed with Salacia when first he encounters her, in episode 16 of Martyn le Roux’s serialised podcast, Die Soutwaterheks which you can find here. Presenting a mix of the complexity of guilt, loss and trauma, it’s a gripping episode.

With a trick or two from Salacia’s bag of skills, Captain Claassen is given to remember what exactly happened when Angelique’s life was lost, together with that of his whole crew; his incredulity is not at stake when it comes to the idea of a mermaid. Besides, who wouldn’t give everything they have to hear the voice of their lost loved one, one more time, albeit through mermaidish tricks, and addressed to her boyfriend.

The revelations in question are neither rosy for Angelique’s dad, however, nor are they easy to re-experience, for all round the table. But the tale that Salacia tells of her presence in the human world and the pricks and kicks she’s tolerated in the ill-behaviour and insensitivity of the people she’s encountered, holds Frans Baker and his friends (including Captain Claassen) spellbound. There are powerful head-spinners in this episode, by way of fact, reality, mourning and making sense of the world as we know it and the idea of the world to come. All in a time of bereavement and catastrophe.

Die Soutwaterheks has 25 chapters: Watch this space for consecutive reviews! Recorded and released independently online, in both MP3 and MP4 formats, in Afrikaans with bits of English, this tale, told in individual episodes is accessible through various links.

• Die Soutwaterheks: Episode 16 Monsters en Meerminne (Monsters and Mermaids) is written by Martyn Le Roux. Directed by Martyn Le Roux, and featuring technical input and sound research by Arné von Molledorf and Martyn Le Roux, and music by Yolanda Strauss and David Muller, it is performed by Jurgen Bosman, Deon Botha, Francois Coertze, Elzahn Dorfling, Annette Havenga, Adriette Le Roux, Pieter Theron and Riaan Visman. It is available here.