The Traditional Healers’ Organisation Buffalo City region, also known as Izanuse Zezwelethu BCM, has called for a serious engagement with the government over the Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2015.
Traditional Healers Association national general secretary Solly Nduku was speaking in an interview after the inauguration ceremony for the organisation’s regional executive on Saturday, attended by 200 people at the Mdantsane Sun.
He said the new law, which sought to regulate traditional healers, was thoroughly flawed and legislated by those who lacked insight into the field of traditional healing.
“The biggest problem with our profession is that it has been treated with a lot of ignorance.”
The regulations would not eliminate this issue, he said.
During the inauguration ceremony for the five executive committee members, Izanuse Zezwelethu BCM chairman Mabandla Nomtshongwane announced there were 83 practising sangomas in Mdantsane alone.
Nduku said traditional health practitioners had for centuries operated relatively free from governance and government regulation, although many were now under governing structures such as the Traditional Healers’ Organisation, which has more than 29000 members.
In 2014, the Traditional Health Practitioners’ Act was passed to standardise and regulate the affairs of all traditional healers. Late last year additional regulations were published to give effect to the act.
The proposed additional regulations require all traditional healers to register before being able to practice.
All traditional healers must now apply to the government-approved Council of Traditional Healers to be registered. They also have to pay R200 for a practising certificate.
Newly elected Izanuse Zezwelethu BCM vice-chairwoman Zamie Mabamba said the state should not impose its own regulations on the profession.
Mabamba said many traditional healers were illiterate and too old.
“For the government to expect them to now go through a literacy programme is unfair to a majority of the healers,” Mabamba said.
A lot of consultation still needed to be done with the government to reach a common understanding and abide by any rules, she said.
Mabamba said their organisation understood their responsibility, which was to ensure the safety of their patients .
“But our profession should be treated with a level of respect,” Mabamba said. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
Traditional healers take on state
Traditional Healers Association national general secretary Solly Nduku was speaking in an interview after the inauguration ceremony for the organisation’s regional executive on Saturday, attended by 200 people at the Mdantsane Sun.
He said the new law, which sought to regulate traditional healers, was thoroughly flawed and legislated by those who lacked insight into the field of traditional healing.
“The biggest problem with our profession is that it has been treated with a lot of ignorance.”
The regulations would not eliminate this issue, he said.
During the inauguration ceremony for the five executive committee members, Izanuse Zezwelethu BCM chairman Mabandla Nomtshongwane announced there were 83 practising sangomas in Mdantsane alone.
Nduku said traditional health practitioners had for centuries operated relatively free from governance and government regulation, although many were now under governing structures such as the Traditional Healers’ Organisation, which has more than 29000 members.
In 2014, the Traditional Health Practitioners’ Act was passed to standardise and regulate the affairs of all traditional healers. Late last year additional regulations were published to give effect to the act.
The proposed additional regulations require all traditional healers to register before being able to practice.
All traditional healers must now apply to the government-approved Council of Traditional Healers to be registered. They also have to pay R200 for a practising certificate.
Newly elected Izanuse Zezwelethu BCM vice-chairwoman Zamie Mabamba said the state should not impose its own regulations on the profession.
Mabamba said many traditional healers were illiterate and too old.
“For the government to expect them to now go through a literacy programme is unfair to a majority of the healers,” Mabamba said.
A lot of consultation still needed to be done with the government to reach a common understanding and abide by any rules, she said.
Mabamba said their organisation understood their responsibility, which was to ensure the safety of their patients .
“But our profession should be treated with a level of respect,” Mabamba said. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
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