TRADITIONAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS’ BILL BRIEFING BY NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICES Date: 7 OCTOBER 2004 08/04/2019

1998 PUBLIC HEARINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS MADE The Portfolio Committee on Health and the Select Committee of the NCOP made the following recommendations during the public hearings: That there should be legal recognition of Traditional Healers as a Health resource That an Interim Council be established which will be responsible for the regulation of the profession of Traditional Healing 08/04/2019

RECOMMENDATIONS BY PARLIAMENT The Interim Council should report back to Parliament within (3) years, thereafter a permanent Council shall be constituted provided that they comply with the set conditions That a Forum be set up before the Council is formed to: Ensure that all stakeholders and associations are taken on board and Unpack the complicated matter of training and accreditation and formulate a clear proposal 08/04/2019

Recommendations Continued That Traditional Healing remains part of the private health care sector not formal sector at this stage That the proposed categories of healers which the Interim Council will oversee should include the following: 08/04/2019

Recommendations Continued Inyanga (Herbalist or Traditional doctor) Sangoma (Diviners) Traditional Birth Attendants (Ababelekisi) Traditional surgeons ( Iingcibi) Abathandazi were excluded because: They are not traditional in nature Training and accreditation will be difficult 08/04/2019

PROPOSED FUNCTIONS OF THE INTERIM COUNCIL Registration of all qualifying traditional healers Promotion of training, research and professionalism in the sector Developing an ethical code of conduct and maintain discipline within the profession 08/04/2019

Interim Council functions Continued Setting up norms and standards with regard to the practice of traditional healing, including regulating the issuing of medical certificates and tariff levels Facilitate co-operation among traditional healers,medical professionals and the government 08/04/2019

Interim Council functions Continued Research and creation of a database; and Regulating anything incidental to traditional healing practice 08/04/2019

HIGHLISTS OF THE TRADITIONAL HEALER STAKEHOLDERS’ WORKSHOP: 18 JUNE 1999 The workshop was held at the then Boulevard Hotel in Pretoria All 9 provinces were represented by four Traditional Healers Four (4) Health Professional Councils namely: SANC, HPCSA,SAPC and Allied Health Professions Council of SA made presentations regarding their organisational structures as well as financial matters 08/04/2019

18 June Workshop continued All councils committed themselves to share information which can assist in the establishment of the Traditional Healers’ Council 08/04/2019

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS MEETING HELD ON 20 FEBRUARY 2001 Objectives of the meeting were: To highlight issues that were raised at the 1998 public hearings To report back on the progress made by DOH 08/04/2019

Highlights (Feb 2001) continued Taking the process forward following MINMEC meeting in September 2000, which endorsed the establishment of the Interim Council for Traditional Healers Setting up of a forum which will have an input in the drafting of the Bill by the DOH 08/04/2019

TRADITIONAL HEALERS ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTED Interim Coordinating Committee for Traditional Medical Practitioners (ICC) South African Traditional Healers Federation Traditional Healers of South Africa Professional Traditional Healers Register of South Africa Traditional Medical Practitioners and Spiritual Healers Organisation 08/04/2019

COMPOSITION OF THE FORUM AGREED UPON Nine (9) Traditional Healers nominated by the Traditional Healer Provincial representatives Five (5) nominated by the DOH Total: 14 08/04/2019

ROLE OF NDOH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BILL The NDOH conducted provincial road shows to inform Traditional Healers and other stakeholders about the contents of the Bill Presented to the Portfolio Committee in September 2002 Published the Bill on 11 April 2003 for a period of 3 months for public comments 08/04/2019

INPUT BY ORGANISATIONS Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa Eastern Cape Provincial Traditional Health Practitioners Free State Traditional Practitioners Forum Gauteng Traditional Health Practitioners Forum Institute For Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) 08/04/2019

Continue Kwazulu-Natal Traditional Health Practitioners Forum Northern Cape Traditional Practitioners Forum Traditional Healers Organisation South African Medical Association Spiritual Healers groups 08/04/2019

TABLING OF THE BILL IN PARLIAMENT Public Hearings were conducted by the Portfolio Committee in August 2004 The Bill was tabled and accepted by the National Assembly on 9 September 2004 08/04/2019

WAY FORWARD The Department of Health will draft Regulations for the Traditional Health Practitioner’s Act which will make provision for constitution of the Interim Council in consultation with the Directorate: Human Resource Development 08/04/2019

WAY FORWARD CONTINUED The Interim Council will be constituted according to the provisions of the Act and the Regulations The Interim Council will consist of 22 members, appointed by the Minister in the following manner 08/04/2019

CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL Chairperson: a traditional healer appointed by the Minister Vice-Chaiperson: elected by members of the Council amongst themselves Nine Traditional Health Practitioners; one from each Province with more than five years of practice as a traditional healer One employee of the Department of Health 08/04/2019

CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL CONTINUED One appointed on account of knowledge of Law One Medical Practitioner who is a member of the HPCSA One Pharmacist who is a member of the South African Pharmacy Council Three Community Representatives 08/04/2019

CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL CONTINUED One Representative from each category of Traditional healers defined in the Act which are: Herbalists: Iinyanga Diviners: Sangoma Traditional Birth Attendants: Ababelekisi Traditional Surgeons: Iingcibi 08/04/2019