People have turned to traditional medicine for cures for centuries and traditional medicines continue to hold promise. On Thursday, 31 August 2023, as the world celebrates African Traditional Medicines Day, there is still a long way to go in educating people around traditional medicine. Shirlyn Serobatse believes continued education around traditional medicine will help debunk the stigma around traditional medicine. Serobatse is a Director: Councillor Affairs and Support Services in the City of Joburg by day and a practising traditional healer.
“The reason people don’t talk openly about traditional medicine is because of the stigma attached to it, labelling it as witchcraft,” says Serobatse, who advocates for alternative healing methods.
She says her journey was a calling, and her lineage as traditional healer could be traced back to her ancestors. Her paternal grandmother was a herbalist and her great-grandfather was a traditional healer who had visions of healing properties of herbs.
Serobatse advocates for alternative healing methods because she is a living testimony.
At 9 years old, she had a cancer tumour removed. At 14 years old, she had to undergo surgery again to remove the remaining part.
It was at this tender age when she was introduced to herbs and their healing properties.
She says Western medicine does have side effects and traditional medicine aims to close that gap.
“Traditional medicine continues to play a major role in medicine. I just wish we had ongoing education in this regard.
Serobatse will commemorate Traditional Medicine Day by channeling healing into the world.
The Member of Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Ennie Makhafola, acknowledges the importance of commemorating African Traditional Medicine Day.
“Today, we show support to the people using traditional medicine, and call on governments all over the world to build capacity on research for the traditional medicine.”
Cllr Makhafola adds that African Traditional Medicine is a body of knowledge that has been developed over thousands of years, which is associated with the examination, diagnosis, therapies, treatment, prevention of, or promotion and rehabilitation of the physical, mental, spiritual, or social well-being of humans and animals.
“The importance of traditional medicine is supported by estimates of its economic impact. It is estimated that the traditional medicines sector in South Africa is worth over R20 billion creating more than 140 000 jobs,” says Cllr Makhafola, who adds that traditional medicine can be proven scientifically that it can heal and Africans healed one another before the arrival of Western medicine.
Written by Brümilda Swartbooi
31/08/2023