This bill will certainly affect all forms of herbalism and natural therapies
He, as with most other traditional healer organisational
just imposed from a different angle. Whether such a
leadership to whom Odyssey has spoken on this issue, is
law comes from whites or blacks, or any government
adamant that the law simply 'won't be allowed to stand'.
representing them, is irrelevant. It is not acceptable to us
'As an organisation we are completely opposed to
and should not be by anyone. We will not allow ourselves
this law. It's an infringement of our Constitutional rights
to be bullied by 'Big Pharma' whose medicines are not
to use our indigenous medicines. We believe it is going
working any more. Now they want to use our medicines
to allow foreign pharmaceutical companies to take
for their own gain (through this law). This move smells
ownership of our indigenous medicines and we will not
of the work of 'Big Pharma' through and through and we
and cannot stand for that. Therefore we shall fight it.'
won't stand for it.'
Chief Richard Kutela, of the SA Traditional Doctors'
Phephsile Maseko, National Co-ordinator of the
Union, representing over 6 000 traditional practitioners,
Traditional Healers' Organisation, agrees, but adds that
agrees with that assessment fully, adding that not only
the law and how it has come into being has created a
does his organisation oppose the law, but that they see it
great deal of confusion.
as a neo-apartheid piece of legislation.
'On the one hand we are told, through the DoH, that
'We are thinking ways of fighting this law in court.
we should not be too worried about this law as it does
It's simply more apartheid medicine all over again,
not apply to us (African Traditional Practitioners) or our
ODYSSEY 19
•
DIGIMAG