... no distinction between males, females - Makhanya Makhanya

M– Traditional healers who have supernatural powers do not distinguish between male and female.

This was the view of Makhanya Makhanya, the President of the Witch Doctors Association. Makhanya said those doctors who sexually assaulted their patients were not properly qualified.

He made the statement when contacted regarding incidences where traditional healers were accused of sexually assaulting their patients.

In a recent matter, a traditional healer was accused of sexually assaulting his patients and also taking photos of them.

Makhanya stated that traditional healers were trained to treat both male and female patients with dignity.

He said the problem was when traditional healers referred to themselves as prophets, adding that this resulted in them failing to do their work ‘in the supernatural not physical

President of the Witch Doctors Association Makhanya Makhanya.

form’.

He said traditionally, an inyanga was like a parent to a patient and that even if that person was naked, their gender did not matter.

“Must we let them die because we are not allowed to touch them?” asked Makhanya.

Makhanya said for some traditional healers who were not able to control themselves, they asked their wives or female assistants to assist.

However, Makhanya said this should not be the case if someone worked with lidloti (ancestral spirit).

He said when a person was sick, they were supposed to be treated as someone who was in need of help and not to be taken advantage of.

Makhanya added that it was taboo for a traditional healer to propose to a woman while in the indumba (consultation room).

He said sometimes, female patients were brought in only wearing kangas but that he was able to assist them.

Makhanya mentioned that as a traditional healer, he was guided by the ancestral spirits to treat the person who was ill.

Further, Makhanya noted that emaSwati traditional healers were part of the Eswatini culture.