South Africans will be marking Heritage Day on Thursday, celebrating the country’s cultural diversity. Traditional healing is one of the cultural aspects that contributes to South Africa’s uniqueness.
According to Traditional Healers Organisation National Coordinator Phephsile Maseko, traditional healing is an indigenous natural way of healing through using traditional medicine and indigenous diagnosis.
There are two categories of traditional healers, namely inyangas and sangomas. Maseko says inyangas are practitioners who deal with the preparation and application of medicine.
“Sangomas are initiated practitioners who have a calling (spiritual) , largely these are the ones that have the ability to diagnose. They are trained by someone who has also been initiated. “
National Department of Health Acting Director of Traditional Medicine Bruce Mbenzi says traditional healers play an important role in the delivery of health services.
“As you would know that the public at large in most cases in rural areas, people consult traditional healers as their first point of getting health services, traditional health practitioners play an important role as a link between our patients and the services that the department provides.”
Although traditional healing has been in existence for centuries, the acknowledgement of its role in the health system and in society has been an uphill battle. The practice is still seen by others as demonic and closely related to witchcraft.
The practice is still seen by others as demonic and closely related to witchcraft
Maseko says instead of focussing on the negativity that comes with the profession, their organization is rather preoccupied with “trying to put together a profession that has a clear ethical conduct so that we remain accountable to our patients and the public at large. ” Regulation of the sector remains a challenge, this resulting to strained relations between the sector and the health department. We are anticipating that we will be having good relations with traditional heal practitioners immediately when regulations of traditional practitioners, traditional health practice and also products are regulated, ” says Mbenzi. To mitigate challenges in regulation the government is enacting the Traditional Health Practitioners Act No.22 of 2007. Through the Act an Interim Health Practitioners Council was established to overlook regulation. However, the establishment of the Council poses other challenges to traditional healers. Maseko says traditional healers find it difficult to register with the Council because of the level of illiteracy among healers. “THO is putting together systems that will assist practitioners to register, ensuring that applications are submitted with the right documents.” Click below to listen to Phephsile Maseko:
Mbenzi says government is also doing its part to address this challenge. “We do take cognisance of the challenges the practitioners face. We are looking to appoint a Registrar , an office of the Registrar will deal with such matters. ” On whether there will be a permanent Council or not, Mbenzi says there will have to be an amendment to the act. Click below to listen to Bruce Mbenzi:
As part of heritage month festivities, some traditional healers will be converging to Hammanskraal for African Dingaka Organisation’s annual conference. The conference is used as traditional healers’ platform to share information and learn from each other.
The organisation’s Secretary Norman Monkoe says during the conference traditional healers also discuss challenges facing the country and try to come up with solutions on how the can play a role in addressing the challenges.
The event will take place in Hammanskraal from Friday to Sunday. “People are also welcome, if you want consult different healers and get medicine.” Click below to listen to Norman Monkoe:
Heritage Month also presents business opportunities for locals. Traders dealing with artefacts and traditional medicine at Faraday Taxi Rank in Johannesburg say they make a lot of gains during this month.
A traditional healer and herbalist Ntombizonke Anatonia Mpanza says she is grateful that South Africa observes Heritage Month and that this contributes positively to the economy. Click below for photos:
– By Lerato Matlala
