Scientific Services

The Covid-19 virus has been a shock to the system, that’s for sure. Especially for the health workers across the world that are working day and night to save lives. However, its not just western medicine  practitioners at the front line, SANParks acknowledges the hard work of over 3000 traditional healers, working as primary health practitioners on the front line around the Kruger National Park (KNP), and are lending a hand to help keep them safe against COVID-19.

Traditional medicine has been around for a long time, with over 80% of the population in developing countries depending on traditional medicine for primary health care. There are approximately 40 million traditional medicine users in South Africa, consulting traditional healers for a variety of reasons including both physical and psychological illnesses and needs. Not only do traditional healers help to keep people healthy, but they are important members of their communities, are holders of valuable indigenous knowledge and can play important roles in society as community stabilisers. The COVID-19 outbreak is placing healers at high risk of exposure to the SARS-CoV2 virus during their consultations. Furthermore, healers are often elderly, rendering them more vulnerable to the impacts of the virus.

SANParks is providing support to the traditional healers adjacent to the KNP in the form of COVID-related PPE (cloth face masks and hand sanitiser). The project also includes awareness material in the form of printed information brochures and regular bulk-sms messages, translated into appropriate languages (Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Sepedi and Siswati). At first the project was funded with a shoe-string budget, with masks being sewn by volunteers from the Hoedspruit community. However, with the generous support of the SANParks Honorary Rangers, the project is now procuring thousands of locally produced face masks for the healers. The sewing SMME groups producing the masks are located in the very same communities adjacent to the KNP…it really doesn’t get more locally-sourced than that. The project is thereby also providing much needed financial support at a time when household incomes have been negatively affected by the lack of tourism.

Although the corona virus pandemic sparked a new type of engagement with traditional healers, SANParks has a long history of working together with traditional healers next to the KNP. This has mostly been through the pepperbark (Warburgia salutaris) project, where healers are provided with saplings of this endangered tree that they then grow at home and use in their own practices. The relationship between the KNP and the traditional healers has grown as a result of the COVID support. The project aims to have supported approximately 3000 healers by the end of July 2020.

The following people are thanked for their support for the project thus far (with more people to thank in the future as we expand!). Assistance has been in the form of conceptual planning, sourcing sanitiser, supporting distributions, translating messages, communication, sewing masks, helping with interviews and project design, and donating and sourcing up-cycled linen for masks:

Helen Mmethi, Purvance Shikwambana, Danny Govender, Mkoro Hlahla, Witness Mmatho, Faranani Lalumbe, Action Maluleke, David Maphophe, Patience Mdungasi, Ike Phaala, Lindiwe Mbowane, Kirsty Redman, Tommy Mokgakane, Rosie Makhubela, Phephile Rakhunwana, Sam Gama, Hope Morema, Vusi Tshabalala, Shoki Mafogo, Mpho Lavhengwa, Thembi Marshall, Samantha Mabuza, Cleo Graaf, Joris Bertens (Unembeza), Candice Grover and finally the SANParks Honorary rangers for funding for the second phase.

“We are so happy to get the masks, sanitiser and messages from KNP. It means that you remember us” – Traditional Healer from a village adjacent to the KNP