Kaya 959 Reporter
14 years after the Traditional Healers Practitioners’ Act was enacted into law, practitioners of traditional medicine, or sangomas as they are more widely known, have complained about their lack of representation in the nation’s labour laws.
Traditional healthcare providers claim that despite being acknowledged by Parliament, it is nevertheless difficult to gain employer acceptance for the medical certificates they offer to their patients.
African religion and belief systems are entwined with the ancient tradition of ubungoma.
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All practitioners, whether they are herbalists, traditional birth attendants or traditional surgeons, must be certified and accredited by the professional body, all these practitioners are governed by the Traditional Health Practitioners Act.
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Kaya Biz with George Manyosi in for Gugulethu Mfuphi spoke to Mkhulu Solly Nduku who is a Sector Leader and Traditional Health practitioner to unpack some of the amendments they would like to be made in the Act.
LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
Nduku spoke about the importance of having a feasibly study on regulating traditional practitioners, as well as clarifying the semi-grey areas in the Act.
He also spoke of the history of the Act and the challenges that emerged when it was proclaimed.
“The Traditional Health Practitioners Act was first proclaimed in 2004, as Act number 34 of 2004, after it was proclaimed some of the political parties in parliament challenged the then president of the republic after the proclamation.”
“They were of the view that consultations before proclamation were not enough, as a consequence, they got a judgement from the Constitutional Court and the process of consultation we open again.”
“The act was then proclaimed to Act 22, of 2007, there was a process to have an interim council in place for traditional leaders in South Africa. They were specific parliamentary instruction that was made by the Parliamentary committee,” said Nduku
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