Over 50 civil society
organisations including the Traditional Healers Organisation (THO), converged
at Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg, to discuss the role of civil
society in socio-economic programmes delivery. For a long time healers
have been complaining about lack of service delivery in communities where they
and their patients live but no Councillor would bother to listen. "For us
healers, this initiative is coming at the right time just before 2011
elections, a time in history where every Councillor will be rushing
to us to canvass for elections and this is the right time to make them
sign contracts for making land available to communities for food security.
How
do they promise us vegetable farming when they know they do not control
land?. This time we need to hold more seminars and meetings in all our branches
as THO and tell members not to vote until government has put in place a
practical programme to benefit communities and ourselves as practitioners of
tradiitonal medicine. Thokozani
asivoteni ngamehlo avulekile!
"This newly formed partnership should not fail us but instead it should be
a platform we use to end years of
corruption, slavery, discrimination by politicians we helped to be in
power" Sthembiso Nene says.
We need more healers and
their patients to have opportunities to be employed and skilled by a government
which will not only think for themselves but the people. We have a
responsibility as Healer leaders to bring about meaningful change otherwise we
will go down memory lane as failures in this industry.
I hope to persuade a
number of colleagues in other provinces to vote in support of a partnership
with COSATU. Whilst at Birchwood i was inspired by the rich
discussions in the workshops such that i then started calling my
colleagues in provinces telling them to identify community leaders in
their areas that are principled and interested in people's development who we
could elect as future councillors not liars and people who are greedy for only
positions. We now need to open our eyes Makhehla otherwise we will continue to
be a play ground of playful individuals.
What saddens me is that
we elect people today who come to us to campaign for parliamentary positions and give them a shopping list of what
we want to see happen in our profession, they promise and immediately they are
away from us they throw away the list and close doors at us. Many notable
leaders use our services when troubled by problems of the world but immediately
they are comfortable and our umuthi works well for them they just forget about
how much we worked hard on them to be where they are! They now feel
ashamed to be seen with us, let alone participate in any of our meetings. This
time we will show them the power of a black, poor umeLaphi. Ke Nako!!!
As a
delegate who attended the conference which started in October 27
-28, I walked away feeling really empowered and supported by both speakers
and contributors from the floor. I have already mapped out my plan of action
and the first thing to start with is by calling a big district and provincial
meetings for all leaders to receive feedback and incorporate the
discussions into local meeting debates. We will also take the declaration to
them and indicate to them that as indigenous peoples of the country we
participated and emphasized that there were more issues to look at beyond just
positions of power. The Declaration came out clear on what needs to
be done to stop corruption, unemployment and poverty and our role thereof.
My commission looked at freedoms and what we need to do to continue the
fight for a better life and justice for all including the right to
practice traditional, indigenous culture without fear of intimidation
whether at the workplace or anywhere else and the freedom to choice of
treatment which no one has ever a right to take away.
I am proud for having
worked hard in this two days to put my sector right on top of civil society map
and ensuring that we inform fellow colleagues who were part of my commission on
the challenges experience by healers in the different communities and how much
we worked hard to promote the ANC which later looks down upon us and choose to
work with their friend and create havoc in the profession. Most ANC leaders
still believe in the DIVIDE AND RULE mentality of apartheid! We may not
totally agree with each other as associations but the one important think we
all agreed on is the importance of life, freedom and respect for communities.
we have agreed that such a respect can only be demonstrated through practical
forms such as creating job opportunities, ending corruption, fight against
discrimination and at all cost Stand up against POVERTY.
I trust
that the declaration arrived at today will make a difference to the majority of
healers in this profession and their patients which is about 72% of the general
public. With this brief feedback i trust that like me you will understand why i
am excited to tell you my great story of re-writting history. With these words
i invite all of you to pray with us for strength and correct guidance to give
you the best and continue to defend the profession. Makhosi,, Thokoza!
Sthembiso
Nene, KZN
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