Traditional healers from eMbalenhle celebrate African Medicine Day

The Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) held an African Medicine Celebration Day at the Kgotso Hall in eMbalenhle on August 31.

The commemoration of the day coincides with the date, 31 August 2000, on which ministers of health adopted the relevant resolution at the 50th session of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

African traditional medicine, similar to traditional medicine from other countries such as China and India, has been used by African people long before the advent of “modern” medicine and continues to be used for the treatment of a range of diseases.

Sphiwe Manana, THO national organiser, said as healers they need to fight witchcraft-based violence and the alleged use of human remains for rituals, specifically that of people living with albinism.

Manana said many elderly people in South Africa were brutally killed after being accused of witchcraft in the past.

“If we can stop jealousy among traditional healers, these witchcraft killings will stop. Some healers do not want to see others do a good job of healing people.

“They become jealous of the success of another healer and start spreading lies about that healer, accusing him or her of being a witch.

“Communities then mobilise, burn and destroy that healer’s house and healing room,” said Manana.

According to him, healers do not practice witchcraft but heal people. He said people must stop burning old people to death after accusing them of witchcraft.

“Commonly, elderly people suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s, which means the loss of memory or their thinking abilities are severely affected.”

Manana explained that someone with dementia might wake up during the night to use the toilet, but then end up in someone else’s yard.

When the owners of this house then find a half-naked old person sleeping in their yard, they call the community and accuse the old man or woman of being a witch.

Manana said the senior citizen will then be either burned alive or brutally killed for something that he or she did not do or know.

“Real healers with an ancestral calling don’t kill people for healing. Those who claim to kill people living with albinism for healing or rituals are not part of us because we don’t use body parts for either rituals or healing.

“We only slaughter the required animals for ancestral rituals. Those who are killing humans for rituals must explain where the remains are taken.

“The ancestors cannot give a healing gift to a person and then require that person to kill. These are two different things.

“Those who are killing people are criminals who need to be locked up in jail,” said Manana.

Manana said traditional healers contribute about R3 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employ 133 000 people, service 27 million people and contribute 56% to the national health budget.

He also said they are working with the national Health Department to establish a traditional healers council that will regulate them.