Unity among Thulamela traditional healers

Traditional healers in the Thulamela area have finally been able to unite with the formation of the Thulamela Council of Traditional Health Practitioners.

The council was launched about a fortnight ago at the Vhembe council chambers during an event attended by many traditional healers and traditional circumcision surgeons from the area. The much-awaited launch was hailed as a victory for all traditional healers in the area and will give the healers a voice that will allow them to be heard. It is aimed at fostering unity among the healers.

The healers elected a committee of 15 members that will be headed by well-known international traditional healer Vho Maine Vho-Tshivhengwa Ramaliba.

Speaking during the launch, the head of the disciplinary committee in the province, Dr Frank Xikhavele, said the launch was long overdue. "We have been praying that this day would come among our traditional healers, who are so divided. Among all the districts of the province, Vhembe is the last to launch because of the background we come from, that of disunity."

Xikhavele (86), a pioneer in traditional healing, said healing was a calling from the ancestors which required everyone to work together for the benefit of the patients. Dr Ephraim Masutha, one of the veterans in the business, said he used nearly a million rand from his pocket over the years trying to better the conditions of traditional healers in the province. “I am close to tears. This has been a long journey for us, but we are happy that it came during our lifetime,” he added.

In his acceptance speech, the new chairperson, Maine Ephraim Ramaliba, said he was not a leader but part of the collective. "We will work together as a committee and our traditional healers from this part of the country, and we promise good service to our clients."

Date:21 August 2015

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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