Traditional healers want to know, “Where is the R20 million?”
A project aimed at preserving traditional herbs set for completion on 2013 has been abandoned and traditional healers want answers
LIMPOPO – Traditional healers claim a R20 million project launched by the Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi in 2010 aimed at conserving traditional herbs of a 142 hectare piece of land in Maila village near Louis Trichardt has been gravely neglected.
Traditional healers under the banner of the Vhembe Traditional Health Practitioners visited the site last week and expected to find an established nursery, laboratory, guard house, medical plant garden, research centre and fence around the facility. They however, say only a few incomplete buildings surrounded by bushes are on the site.
Joshua Nthabalala, advisor of the Nthabalala Royal Family said it was shocking to see how little had been done.
“R20 million has been wasted,” he said. “Cheap labour was hired to erect those structures. I remember 400 people were employed at some point. They worked there for three months before the project came to a standstill. So, where is the R20 million?” he asked.
“A few months ago, we were told that R19 million had been approved for a new contractor to continue with the project. We have employed 20 people to work with the new contractor,” Nthabalala explained.
He said a letter had since been circulating stating the safety of the new contractor and workers couldn’t be guaranteed.
“The same group responsible for threatening emails also threatened the chairperson of Vhembe Traditional Health Practitioners, Mbulaheni Neluvhola, saying he should step down. We stand by Neluvhola and believe that with him on the lead, the project will yield results,” said Nthabalala.
Neluvhola, when asked for comment, said division in the community over the project ownership further complicated progress.
The project was spearheaded by the Indigenous Knowledge Systems of South Africa Trust (IKSSA), as appointed by the Department of of Environmental Affairs and completion was planned for 2013.
Media Liaison Officer for the Department of Environmental Affairs, Albi Modise said the project was part of the Expanded Public Works Programme
(EPWP) and an investigation will follow into why it was never completed.
