‘Fake healers’ blamed for back street abortions and muti killings
Maphumulo traditional healer Thengindaba Mkhize said local healers should defend their calling and take a stand against people who are abusing their name.
Fraudulant foreign traditional healers are responsible for illegal abortions and the killing of people with albinism, local traditional healers have charged.
Speaking at the KwaDukuza town hall last week after a march by traditional healers and staff from the health department against the charlatans, Maphumulo traditional healer Thengindaba Mkhize said local healers should defend their calling and take a stand against people who are abusing their name.
“We are helping people, not killing them. These people are hungry for wealth and they are doing all these horrible things hiding behind the name of traditional healers.
“We use plants and leaves to heal people. Now people think that all traditional healers are heartless people who use humans for their muthi, which is wrong,” said Mkhize.
“If you walk around the streets of KwaDukuza you find posters for abortions and other services.
“Young women die after they go to these fake healers for abortions and some residents will lose their money after they have been conned.
“Something needs to be done about these fake people who come into our country and mess up our calling,” said Mkhize.
KwaDukuza mayor Ricardo Mthembu expressed his support for traditional healers to defend their good name.
“Traditional healers have a very big role in helping people in our community and I believe that they should be given the opportunity to educate people about traditional medicine. T
“Those fake healers advertise themselves and people go to them because they lack understanding of how traditional healers work,” said Mthembu.
Mkhize said genuine traditional healers are registered with their own professional bodies.
“Should the medication give you any problem, you can report that healer to the organisation and you will be receive help. As a client you have the right to ask for their card or certificate. It will have a number that you can call to verify whether that person is a real healer or not.”
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