Traditional Healers betray Witches
by Damon Leff
In September 2007 Phepsile Maseko, national coordinator of the Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) urged South African Witches at the Melville Conference, to strengthen themselves for the coming struggle. Maseko reassured delegates that the THO did not wish to infringe on religious minority rights and that traditional healers now realized there was a minority group (Witches) who would be injured by pursuing legislation against Witchcraft.
Maseko is recorded in the minutes of the Conference as saying,
We need to strive for unity. We need each other more than ever. This is a revolution. Join hands against the tribulation. Samora Machel said, “The act of liberating yourself is within you”. Be prepared to face tribulations. Who else can do it but yourselves? Stand up! Command your coming together to strategize. The People want you to come out. The challenge is to educate the public. We need to know we have sisters and brothers in you if you want us to walk with you. THO and Forum need to stand together! Remember that no legislation can stop you from believing in your belief. The 1957 Act never stopped us in our belief. Many were killed. Your blood will fertilize the struggle. Stand up. Fight to ensure that you are in control. The THO will go the journey with you. But we need to know you. We have come to understand that WC is positive in your belief. It means ‘wise’. From the African point of view it is the opposite. This was caused by the disparities of colonization, poverty, etc. You need to reclaim the word Witch. It is going to be a lot of work. The THO will support you in your definition of yourself. [1]
In September 2008 Maseko reaffirmed her undertaking on behalf of the THO, in front of representatives of the SA Law Reform Commission, Lawyers for Human Rights, the SA Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA) and the SA Pagan Council (SAPC), that traditional healers will no longer make accusations against Witches.
It therefore came as a surprise to members of SAPRA and the SAPC when in an article entitled 'Muti killings up ahead of 2010?' by Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane and published on News24.com, Maseko is reported to have stated the following with regard to human mutilations,
Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) national co-ordinator Phephisile Maseko was reluctant to comment on the report. "I can't speak for others, but our members are well-informed. They would never participate in muti killings and don't believe in it. We heal, we don't kill," she said. "I have heard reports of muti killings but I have never personally seen it. Those who do that are witches who don't belong to any organisation. They haven't been trained so they do as they please," she said. [2]
Given the alarming prevalence of Witchcraft violence in South Africa in 1995 the Ralushai Commission and several successive national and regional Conferences since 1995, recommended encouraging Traditional healers to “emphasise the curative and preventative aspect of medicine, instead of pointing out so-called witches.”
When challenged by SAPRA to honour her committment to refrain from making further accusations against Witches, Maseko stated in correspondence to SAPRA,
"I know i have loosely used this name but it was local language interview which is loosely translated to witch in english. This had nothing to do with your organisation neither its members but a lot to condemn this practice (muti murders) which is mistaken to be a profession associated to us." [3]
In response, SAPRA reminded Maseko that the general public do not understand the language nuance and would most likely accept the written word as fact, and therefore, will accept that Maseko had told them, in her capacity as a healer, that solitary Witches are indeed responsible for muti murders.
The prejudice of traditional healers against Witches is reaffirmed in a document published on the THO's website. The following quote, written in English, still appears on the website of the THO, despite the THO having twice undertaken not to make accusations against Witches, and despite SAPRA having requested in 2008 that this document be edited to remove any reference to Witchcraft or Witches.
"People still confuse witchcraft – the abuse of the gifts God has given to cause harm, or influence another’s life and energies, to their own benefit – with THs. A true Healer cannot take part in any action that can harm or negatively influence another person." [4]
Existing evidence will show that the 'muti' murderers themselves are not Witches, but are most often criminals paid by unscrupulous and unregistered traditional healers (who do not self-define as Witches) to harvest human body parts and tissue. [5]
Traditional healers, afraid that they too might become the object of the witch-hunter's gaze might in private acknowledge that every South African has the right to freedom of belief, but dare not publicly defend the right of Witches to be presumed innocent before being condemned.
References:
[1] Phephsile Maseko, National Coordinator and Spokesperson for the Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) - SAPC Pagan Conference Minutes. Melville. September 2007
[2] Muti killings up ahead of 2010? (March 2009)
[3] Phephsile Maseko (THO)
Correspondence from THO to SAPRA dated 13 March 2009
[4] Why are People Embarrassed and Afraid?
[5] Recorded cases of 'muti murders' indicating traditional healers, NOT Witches, as being responsible:
4 KZN women shot dead
20/05/2007 18:48 - (SA)
Genitals, tongue removed
Muti victim owes R200 000
23/08/2006 21:17 - (SA)
'Muti-murder' bishop gets bail
25/05/2006 16:32 - (SA)
Riot Hlatshwayo and Wilson Dzebu
Muti murder: Bishop in court
03/05/2006 13:45 - (SA)
Riot Hlatshwayo
Media statement on the release of the report of the Task Team on ritual murders in Limpopo
26 October 2006
Suspect (84) in muti murder case denied bail
Article By: Wilson Dzebu
Date: 09 December 2005
"Doctors of Death" spend Christmas in jail
Article By:
Date: 13 January 2006
|
