Abstract
Traditional healing and the use of traditional medicines were historically banned by the South African apartheid government. The dawn of democracy saw a change in the laws, which gave freedom to the traditional African practices. Nevertheless, many South Africans are still divided between Western- and traditional African philosophies. This qualitative study, therefore, employed the hermeneutic phenomenological method to investigate the status of traditional healing in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Data collection was done through interviews, and data were analysed thematically. The results suggest that the work done by traditional healers remains marginalised and undermined despite them contributing to the country’s healthcare system. Traditional healers remain unregulated and often left to work on their own under difficult conditions. It is recommended that government play an active role in ensuring that healers are formally incorporated into the country’s healthcare system, which will benefit both the healers and the communities they serve. Contribution: The study investigates the current status of traditional healing in South Africa and highlights that despite having laws that support traditional healing in the country, the practice remains marginalised and healers are working on their own and not within the country’s healthcare system as it is supposed to be. The study is linked to the scope of the journal because it investigates a topic that borders on oral history and indigenous religious practices of South Africans.
Highlights
Introduction and background of the studyWilliam Feather (1889–1981), an American author, once wrote that ‘every social injustice is cruel, but it is an economic waste’
Denis (2006:313) predicted that traditional healing, as one of the elements contributing to indigenous knowledge systems in South Africa, will constitute an important field of scientific research
Possible solutions to challenges faced by traditional healers in the Limpopo province When the interview participants were asked how the current situation in the province could be improved with regard to traditional healing in the province, the investigator received the following responses
Summary
Introduction and background of the studyWilliam Feather (1889–1981), an American author, once wrote that ‘every social injustice is cruel, but it is an economic waste’. The fall of the apartheid government in South Africa brought with it many changes and had a direct influence on many other things, including traditional African practices. To that effect, Mokgobi (2014:24) highlights that many South Africans are still divided between Western and traditional African philosophies. These divisions are mainly on issues like gender, religion, medicine, ceremonies and other practices that affect our daily lives. This makes South Africa, which is often referred to as a ‘rainbow nation’, unique, as it consists of diverse cultures and beliefs when compared to other parts of the world
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