A problem from hell : Barnabas and the age of economic genocide

After over forty-five years Swaziland gained her independence from then Great Britain,  the ordinary Swazi is treated with contempt by the ruling elite. He is not free. He is oppressed and made to live under embarrasing poverty. He is made to pay high taxes yet does not see what difference his hard-earned money makes. He cannot speak his mind. He is a slave. Oh,  Cry the beloved country!            
About six years ago,  the head of state, His Majesty King Mswati III appointed Dr Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini as Prime Minister. This was during a time of political upheavals,  with increasing voices calling for the dissolution of the one-party system and advocating for a transition to multi-partism. Graffitis characterised that period along walls ang highways of this undemocratic kingdom. Bridges were targetted to be bombed, like the Lozitha bridge. Homes of prominent political stalwarts were also target of political terror. The then PM,  Absalom Themba Dlamini adopted a civil approach to these political sheninagans much to the chagrin of the appointing authority. Mind you,  it was their existence that was under siege, simply for their failure to lead us towards democratic reforms. It was on the backdrop of A.T's diplomatic and civil approach to the 2005 -2007  political unrest that saw Barnabas bouncing back to politics,  after serving for five years in the king's advisory body, known as Liqoqo.

He was given a crystal clear mandate by His Majesty: to strangle dissenting voices and the opposition. In short, these were the people  who were urging Swaziland to adopt democratic principles so that the kingdom could realise economic growth and social stability. That noble call irked the institution of the monarchy whose face is The Ingwenyama ( the lion) together with The Indlovukazi (she elephant). Immediately Barney assumed office,  he did not waste time but began to draft draconian laws meant to silence the opposition of the Tinkhundla oligarchy-a system that lives off on secrecy,  corruption, intimidation,  oppression, terror and nepotism among its top uncivil traits. The Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 became Barnabas' working tool. This act is much against the spirit of the Swazi  Constitution and other Conventions which Swaziland is a signatory of. He pronounced his arrival with his infamous  'business unusual' mantra.

It was at this point in the politics of Swaziland that the sirens of false business and development unusual mantras rang. For, his reappointment was a knell that summoned us to the dungeon of purgatory,  where even today we are languishing. His installation was the work of the government of the devil self! I am not being metaphorical here. His arrival into the second highest office marked a series of both economic and political problems. And these problems are framed by the hands of Lucifer in hell. Today we are watching in horror and in disbelief the demise of our then healthy economy and a nascent stable politics as a result of his orchestrated genocide. Kulaywa bani? For one,  Barnabas lied to us about both his business and development unusual mantras he used to espouse his plans of perching Swaziland on the upper index of developed nations. Here,  I do not use the word  ''lie'' lightly. He lied that his administration would direct the budget towards development at grassroot levels,  like creating jobs and giving loans to people to start businesses. By saying he lied, I mean that he knew that there was no truth in what he was promising us but went on nonetheless. He knew his administration is in office on a secret mandate and they were not going to fullfil what his two mantras promised. He blatantly lied knowing very well that nothing would happen to him.

Barnabas takes us for a ride. He thinks we are fools and know nothing about leadership. Leadership is not an abstract notion. Neither is it about power trips.  It is never about making people bend to your will,  just because you are in power and you have the disposal of the courts and police at your disposal,  which you abuse at whim to get to whosoever stands in your way. Fools, we are not! Him and his administration have misled us without reserves or a feel of remorse. This is hardly suprising to those who have followed Barney's political career. They will agree with me that he is a man less chastened and very much less repentant. Look how he played around with our minds after his notorious  ''abakhanywe''- strangle them statement! Instead of apologising for his untaste tongue, he objected himself as the mighty wiseman,  dragging the kingdom to deep economic crises. Or the now forgotten grab-a-land saga. Here, he chose to stop parliament from probing his illegitimate hold on the land through  courts orders instead of humbling his big self and acknowledge his blunder. Not Barnabas.

The PM's mindset decieves him and then other Swazis that in this kingdom, he knows better than all of us. This is why over all these years he have treated us and still is with contempt. Look how he lied about the AGOA loss, saying it was all the work of labour unions. How he misled the nation about the buying of the luxurious BMWs for cabinet ministers,  saying it was all the work of the media. These expensive cars cost the taxpayer over E 23 m,  plus fuel cost and service. This is besides the Premier's Rand Rover sport Evoque which cost over E 1.8 m and his mercedes benz,  putting the total cost at E 4 m. And still you think this is not an economic genocide? He have falsely assured the nation that his government is doing something to retain AGOA. And what did we see recently?  A closure of Tex Ray- an apparel firm in Matsapha that has got no orders of their products from the United States because of His Majesty's government's failure to address the five benchmarks that will allow Swaziland to exports her good to the US under the AGOA terms. Many of the firms are uncertain about their continued stay in the kingdom. The rate of unemployment is expected to shoot up astronomical, weakening the lilangeni and threatening its pegging on the rand. Underlying all these economic woes is Barnabas' personal credibility which he have wasted either treating us as children and the stupid peoples he think we are or settling scores with his political foes.
He have become the captive of this nation's development and does not see anything wrong ngaloko.

To me, Barney is clueless, heartless and greedy with an insatiable appetite for wealthy. All this becomes noticeable in his policies that tend to ignore the needs of the  ordinary Swazis. All he thinks about is himself. Again, I cannot justly complain because he never went into office on the mandate of the people but was assigned by the monarchy. Thanks, in part, to his uncivil,  violent and undemocratic approach to dissenting voices and civil groups calling for democratic reforms.

As Swazis, we feel betrayed, not only by Barney but also by the institution that is supposed to protect us: the monarchy. We have lost great faith in our institutions- monarchy, government, politics, church and the media. Why?  Simply because all these mainstays of a healthy society are dismally failing. And our monarchy and organised religion being great let-down(ers).
Swaziland's leading factory power- house is closing-leaving a legacy of a double-digit number of unemployment  and hopelessness. What have the monarchy done to prevent this? Nothing. The monarchy is the only institution that can give Barnabas a rest and have another competent man or woman take over. In 2012 , the people made it clear at eSibayeni that they have had enough of Barney. And what have the church done or say?  Still, nothing yet they expect these jobless people to tithe. Nonsense!  Lack of transparency has given Barney and his administration the big advantage to treat us with contempt.

His behaviour is a true and closest replica of outright tyrannts-arrogant, unaccountable and cavalier despots.
This sort of conduct nullifies the Constitution and disfrenchises the Swazi people. It is simply not representative government but  political fascism.
Barney, I insist,  is not chastened, and is less repentant. Even after the AGOA loss, he remains undettered and continues to do whatever means he deems necessary,  in his self-assessed superior wisdom, to accomplish his political agenda, beginning with crushing our liberal rights.

In Barney we are presented with the pleasures of appointing a crook into a crooked political system.

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Khayelihle Simelane is a BA holder in Humanities obtained at the University of Swaziland. He majored in History and Theology and Religious Studies.

Knowledge is power, and we lack this power as Africans.

They say that knowledge is power, I concur with this assumption reason being that, lack of knowledge has led to the demise of many Africans. For instance, in the current ebola crisis, many Africans still find this as a Western Made virus intentionally created to kill Africans.

Whether the above assumption is true or not, that is not the focus of this paper. Personally, I only believe in things statements that are coupled with empirical evidence. That pretty much describes me as a person, or who I've grown to become. Enough about me, as Africans we still have a long way to rid ourselves of superstition. And until then the human casualties will be extremely high.

It would seem that countries like Swaziland with traditionalists ruling are worst of. I assert this because, most of the important posts are occupied on nepotism, not merit. I doubt that a health and educational system based on this structure can survive a crisis of this magnitude.

Further, we as a people see this as normal thing. That is because the formal, non formal, and informal educational structure is controlled by a pro-traditionalist elite group. According to the Conflictionist Theory of education, educational is a tool used by the elite to maintain the status quo. To an extent I agree with this sentiments.

The teaching of national events such as Incwala, Umhlanga etc in Swaziland and of kings as the only national heroes is a manipulation of our educational system. Our education, especially, social sciences is a tool for propaganda, only we are to narrow minded to comprehend this political tactics.

It is with great sadness that I think, Swaziland and many other Africans nations are doomed mostly because superstition and our our nature of finding normality in a dysfunctional  structure.

Having said the above, I think it is safe to say that our society is made up of latent fictional substructures. And we as a people seem to accept this as normal lest negative repercussions. Simply, we do not only lack reasoning skills, but we also fearful of change.

Below are images by the WHO, for an African Ebola Free Campaign.

Religion and Leadership Problem: Swaziland's developmental bulwarks

Swaziland is a monarchial kingdom,the only one remaining in Africa.  It is about the size of a dot when looked on the map and is economically depended on the Republic of South Africa. In economical evaluation, it is a developing country with a disappointing growth rate of 0.02 %.  Swaziland is categorised as a lower-middle-income country. She is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).  She is also a member of the trading body known as the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and COMESA. Her main trading partners are South Africa, the United States and the European Union.

On the religious terrain, the mountanious kingdom boasts of about eighty-two point seven zero percent of Christians,making it the dominant religion. This is according to a report by the Religious Intelligence survey. Anglican, Protestant and Indegenous African churches, including African Zionist and Roman Catholics constitute the majority of the  Christians in the country.  Swazis are globally known as notoriously religious and in many instances take God for granted.  In the last six or so years,Swaziland was  designated the pulpit of Africa,either metaphorical or in the literal sense, only God knows. However,what one knows is that the pundits of the obtaining  Tinkhundla oligarchy have taken this prophesy literal to intensify their hold on power.

The objective of this paper is an attempt at essaying the various empirical ways by which religion and leadership problem have impeded development in the Kingdom of eSwatini. It behooves me, therefore, to preface this discussion by giving an insight to what development refers to in this context. Development implies continous improvement/ progress toward a better,higher and more advanced stage. It simply denotes change though change itself does not necessarily implies development always. In evaluating areas of development,it is paramount to consider their impact on human life,for every development should be to the betterment of every individual in that nation.  Therefore, development evaluation in this paper would tend to be based on the wider category of civil society-which in this context points to the establishment of institutions which maximises harmony, human's alienable rights, security and peace. Hypothetically, ,an ideal  civil society renders every individual the opportunity to pursue happiness and self-determination that hinge on fulfillment.

For the above to manifest ithemselves in every society,all institutions and spheres of human activity should be optimised. However,this  ideal will never be realised in a society where the bearer is constricted to think and act creatively . This ideal will also be threatened  by lack of equal possibilities for all, due to sex, clan and any other distinguishing human characteristic which are still chronic challenges faced by sive semaSwati, especially nepotism based on clan name (bomusa wabani). It remains crystal clear that development as refered to here should be witnessed in the medical landscape, education, reduction of employment, especially among the youth, life expectancy, political and economic systems, science/technology and industries.

Swaziland is a very ambitious country working (hard) on being perched among the developed nations of the world. However,as things are within this kingdom,this ambition may as well remain like that; an ambition. There is no contented effort on the part of the government that shows  Swaziland is serious about its vision 2022. The efforts are only in the talking. There are many factors that are seriously impeding national development within the Kingdom of eSwatini. Corruption, bad governance, recycling political leaders, nepotism, a non-people driven national budget and an extravagant and non-transparent royal emolument. However,it is not in the interest of this paper to elucidate on the above serious factors though reference may be made in passing or to emphasise a point.

Religion and a leadership problem remain two of the greatest bulwarks in as far as Swaziland's development is concerned.  For Swaziland, prayer,fasting and offerings are considered important activities in dealing with all national ills. This is no exxageration. One only needs to look back to Swaziland's worse economic years two years ago when SACU reciepts were drastically reduced, which makes about sixty percent of Swaziland's national budget.  Religious groups involving all churches led by the Swaziland Conference of Churches organised a mass prayer aimed at resuscitating the Kingdom's economy. The prayer was held at Swaziland's commercial hub,  Manzini at the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition centre. Government officials, including the Prime Minister Dr SB Dlamini attended in their numbers. This economic  case is not the only one. Swaziland has a high record of road accidents. Known roads prone to blood-curdling accidents include the Malagwane hill,  eLangeni (both on the Mbabane-Manzini highway) , Hhelehhele on the outskirt of Manzini on your way to the Lowveld region,  Mehlwabovu and the Nhlangano-Mahamba road. Many lives have been lost and the problem which cause such chilling accidents identified. But the Swazi government ignored this and happily hide under the quick reaction of churches that always organise a prayer.

In many political blunders and human rights disregard, the church has chosen to be mum. Except for the Swaziland Council of Churches which always condemn Swaziland's notoriety where human rights and bad governance is concerned. In 2012 ,Swaziland has to battle with one of the longest labour strikes organised by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT). Among other things they were demanding other than pay rise was the firing of Swaziland's long-serving and bully PM, the incumbent and authoritarian Dr SB Dlamini. They were also demanding the transition of Swaziland into multi-party system of governance. While rightly justified in calling for these basic human necessities, some religious elements cropped up. SNAT administrators eventually organised a prayer. Prayer works, but where it does not, it fails dismally. The labour strike eventually lost vigour and disunit was the final nail on it.

Political ills and government maladministration can never be corrected nor worked out by prayer. What is needed is serious confrontation with the powers that be. As it is, this is unlikely to be the case for the reason that the king is also seen as a spiritual figure. Government resources are annually utilised to fund and make possible activities of the Christian religion which is widely practised. This is despite Swaziland's secular status as embodied in the kingdom's Constitution. As history has taught us, once the state and religion enjoy some sort of cordial mutuality, the populace suffers immeasurable. In the first instance,it is wrong for His Majesty's government to fund other religious sects and ignore some using taxpayers' money. That said, religion in Swaziland has cultivated the culture of complacency. Many Swazi Christians turn a blind eye to social ills and talk about the happiness that awaits them yonder this world! That God have stored for them a white robe.

The social responsibility of the church is not limited to preaching and taking offerings and tithes. Its far transcends that and include creating an enabling and conducive living space for its adherents. For one,there is nothing saint in living in a country where  the taxpayers' money is used to fund the lavish lifestyle of a certain clique. There is nothing orthodoxically when politicians are offered pay rise and bought top-of-the range BMW vehicles in a country where the majority die of many diseases due to poor health systems. However,this deplorable behaviour by His Majesty's government has gone without any castigation from the church. Like earlier alluded here, prayer, fasting and offerings highlights both the spoken and unspoken assumptions of Swaziland's religious people-that they have final answers to life and great social challenges. Professor Don Cupitt once said that final answers have the impact of removing the need for progress. It is, therefore, in this sense that religion has impeded our development. For,religion has produced many Swazi people who live as though protesting government is not only  wrong but even asking certain questions and making certain demands is wrong because governments are installed by God. Therefore, God's institutions are immune from demands, protests and criticism. Secondly, the church has created many people who look to divine revelation for guidance, therefore,they are constrained to invade the secular realm for answers. This kind of behaviour planted by the church has succesfully given rise to  sentiments but sadly produced sterility as their doctrines give birth to freaks.

People who are notoriously religious tends to be relatively comfortable and cosy since religion, once again in Prof. Cupitt's words,  ''produces potted answers to life's dilemmas'', and to greatest injustice too. Further, Dennis Nineham observed that religion impedes progress by its nature of constricting personal freedom. No plant grows well in a constricted space, the same cannot be overemphasised of the human species. As things stand, religion in Swaziland with its impositions is here to stay-not because it is the opium of the populace but because it is a winning tool of the Tinkhundla oligarchy. Again, because religion in its own right is a valid way of respecting and exploring the mysteries of life. It is also the greatest pacifier to many folks.

Moving on, one comes to the main issue; leadership problem. One must state on the outset that this area is so dangerous that one can be jailed. Swaziland lacks democratic principles and is not willing to embrace them. Even after losing AGOA, America's preferential trading treaty. Multi-partism is banned and political parties remain proscribed under the 2008 controversially Suppression and Terrorism Act. Dissidents and Mswati's critics are gaoled based on this act. It is this act jointly combined with unseen wielding powers (Labadzala) and Swaziland's disregard of international conventions and its own Constitution that has plunged it into the ungovernable position it is in. Politics in Swaziland are about egos.

Swaziland's political situation is detrimental to the stable foundations desired by foreign investors. The king is reportedly demanding at least ten percent shares in every investor who want to set up business in the kingdom.  This is what waters down the kingdom's effort to rise to greater heights economically. As one write, the king owns ten percent shares from Swazi MTN- a mobile communication that enjoys a politically protected monopoly. He also owns about forty percent shares at the Royal Swaziland Sugar Company. He is reportedly co-owning Salgaocar Swaziland-a mining conglomerate that set up business in Swaziland under unclear circumstances. This is quite different from royal token. This combined with other important factors such as high call rates, business monopoly in important sectors such as communication, and government's involvement in businesses do not auger well for the nation's business environment. Swaziland, therefore needs to improve her business environment through sound and meaningful reforms. The 2013 Ibrahim Index of Governance, for instance ranked Swaziland poorly in participation of human rights, as well as sustainable economic opportunity attributed to weak institutional capacity and a relatively rigid political system.

The nation's political system which when it was introduced by the late king Sobhuza ii was nothing but an experiment strives on secrecy. There is lack of transparency in the use of government's money. Swaziland's spending priorities are in conflict with capacitating the citizenry through creating employment and empowering its youth to venture into business. The army takes a budget of nearly a billion while the health and education sectors are finding it hard to survive. This in a nation that has prioritised health and education. DNA Economics consultant Frank Flatters accused, rightly so,  Swaziland's misuse of funds recieved from SACU. He said that the government budget is bloated through high wages . He forgot to add,  ''politician and committee wages''.

These paper has given an account of how religion and leadership problem jointly impede  national progress in Swaziland. The author believes Swaziland can achieve more if the secular world can be painstakingly invaded for solutions engulfing the kingdom than looking for divine guidance. Further, a people driven political system can help a long way in being a panacea to Swaziland's political ills that are grossly hindering development . Divine revealed systems such as the  ''God-given Monarchial democracy'' are letting down Swaziland's capability to soar.

Khayelihle Simelane is a BA holder in Humanities obtained at the University of Swaziland. He majored in History and Theology and Religious Studies. He is also a former contributing writer at the Times of Swaziland newspapers, an independent paper.

Swazi bully PM outwitted

'Interesting' seems to be the right word to point out to what is steaming up in the volatile Swazi political pot. Swaziland's long time serving Prime Minister,a very close man to the king,is  finally getting the taste of his own medicine courtesy of Justice Minister, Sibusiso Shongwe. Known for his bullying tendencies and rotten if not barbaric language, Mswati's right-handman is getting more than what he have bargained for.

To the uninitiated, it all began with the controversially Estate policy. This is a policy that the Justice Minister brainstormed and later made  into law on how estate of deceased should be distributed. In terms of the Swaziland Constitution, the minister erred in sidelining the legislative house and subsequently, he was asked to nullify the policy and follow the right procedure. The Prime Minister, Dr Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini ordered Shongwe to withdraw the policy within thirty days. Further, a parliament committee has been set up to find reasons why the Justice Minister should not be charged. The ultimatum from the Premier exarcebated things. It has subsequenyly thrown the  government into a deep political turmoil while with the judiciary jumping in to rally behind their own - the head honcho, Minister Shongwe.

The obtaining scenario is genuinely fascinating. So because the chairman of the Judicial Commission and Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi, Minister Shongwe and the Premier are known to be close friends who have rallied behind each other during Swaziland's worst judicial crisis in the past two years. They supported each other in every unpopular decision they took. Today here we are.

Many were taken aback by Minister Shongwe's defiance to the Premier. Many who have stood against this ageing bully lost their jobs. He instil his fear through his use of hooliganistic and spine-chilling words such as  ''sitjepeza''-a sharp-edged knife like a bush-knife that could behead one in an eye's twinkle. He is also known for calling on the use of bastinando on dissenting peoples and opponents of the monarchial democracy-a system which King Mswati iii claimed was revealed to him by God. Mswati is not new to his divine revelations. On or around 2001,the Swazi king claimed that while watching television in one of his many luxurious palaces, a TV remote placed at the centre of a table mysteriously fell on the floor. He told the voluptious Swazis that God was communicating a message. This in a population whereby over sixty-five percent live on less than a dollar a day. Able-minded peoples ask themselves what kind of a god who can reduce himself to doing such trivialities when many are living in grossly embarrasing poverty. This showed to all and sundry how religion is used to cement the rule of the despotic Dlamini clan. Once in Swazi history,the peoples were told by a senior prince that they ( royal family) were closer to God than any other person.

Prime Minister Dlamini,to prove how bully he is, recently ordered chiefs to strangle two unionists who according to him sneaked to the United States to embarras the king during the United States-Africa summit held in New York. He said this inside parliament and Swaziland's dumbest parliamentarians saw nothing untowards with the bully's statement. Bullying is the only way the current PM gets things his way. Many would remember how he bullied the Swaziland High Court back in November 2001 when he told judges that his government was not going to abide by courts rulings. This was during the Macetjeni/kaMkhweli chieftaincy dispute. He got the full back-up of his boss, Mswati iii. He also bullied the spirit of the 2005 Constitution by giving the Lesotho-born judge an indefinate contract after his initial contract signed in 2008 expired. According to the spirit of the Constitution,  a Swazi CJ was supposed to take over. However,clandestine moves whose master was the PM were hacked to prevent fired judge, Thomas Masuku from taking over.

Fast forward to 2014 ,political events suggest a somehow fascinating scenario. The old bully might have lost its sting or have been outwitted by an equal,poisonous bully. The Justice Minister is the man of the moment. His foothold seems to be well-put on the pedal. He is unshaken by the bully many a man have been scared of. In a recent breakfast monthly meeting with editors, the PM asked the media to cover his back while he was responding to questions surrounding the deepening judicial crisis. He said that he was afraid of being charged with contempt of court. It seems Shongwe is the man in charge. While many expected a reshuffle or worse, Shongwe's firing from cabinet, nothing has happened. Everything remains as usual. Now there are circulating reports by one daily newspaper to the effect that the PM might be investigated for corruption. We are waiting to see.

Can Swaziland's long time serving politician bully be finally chowed?  Is this  ''chess master player'', as the Swazi Newspaper's Editor, Phephisa Khoza calls him,be made to feel the medicine of his own taste?

Religion is alive,God is not

Religion predates many of the known existing socialisational phenomenons. Religion and culture goes together. Religious scholarship asserts that it is only through the lenses of culture that an ethnic's religion can be understood. There is a general consensus among  scholars that religion is by and largely shaped by culture. For over three thousand  years, religion has not ceased to be an opium of the human species. While religion has succesfully convinced a majority of the world's population that above the sky, somewhere up there,lives a super-all knowing,all present being, doubts about that cannot be ignored.

The questioning of God's existence has its root in the birth of an era called Enlightenment. This is a period that marked remarkably progress in education in medieval Europe. This period coincided with the rennaissance era which witnessed a growing enthusiasm in arts, literature and philosophy. For the first time in chronicled history,religion felt the  scathing launch  of missiles rooted in dialogue and rationale thinking than on military crusades. Germany boasts of great known philosophers who even introduced historical methods of biblical study. Never in it history has the Bible been subjected under heavy scrutiny as was the case  with the dawn of these eras. Traditions of antiquity have placed great protection on religious tenets and myths. The twist however, came with the questioning of God's existence.

The Church as a religious institution was soon confronted with a new predicament altogether. Every known dogma was interrogated objectively. New names came to connote pionners of such virginal undertaking, sometimes wrongly percieved. Heretics, anti-Christ and satan's agents were labels used. It was all an exercise in futility. Today the world has seen great men and women who publicly confessed their disbelief in God or any gods. This is especially dominant in the west. There are many known atheists there,some who were once evangelised. 

God! Coming from a hyped religious background in Swaziland,I can attest that almost all Swazi families believe in God's existence. Children are indoctrinated through the passing of missionary teachings that God love them. He sent his only Son to die for their sins. I never got to escape these teachings too . At home,school and Sunday school. They are entrenched across the Swazi social life,cutting across every spectrum. In Swazi societies, the social theme and expectation of the people is total submission and acceptance to cultural trends, traditions and traditional structures, submission to indegenous and Christian beliefs without questioning. So, as we grow up in terms of age and academical strides, we face a strange battle: questioning beliefs and traditions than worshipping them. I faced my own battle at university.  All the tales about a speaking serpent, language confusion in the building site of the Tower of Babel and many senseless biblical  stories began to resemble a sculpture. A stone curved image with no breaths. Then it was the antithetical anthromorphosis attributes of God! They began to make a huge joke on the deity I grew up knowing. God caused misery to mankind in the Old Testament. He is self-craving and highly demanding, wanting all the attention like a small child. Failure to do that is punished by misery and suffering, as the capture of the Israelites privides a grandiose kaleidoscope . Professor Dawkins justly put it in his work,  ''Religion is a poisoner'' when he sees God as a  ''misogynist, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, megalomaniac and a malevolent bully''. Of course this could possible be the potraits of religious fanatics who created God. I say so because,like one atheist reasoned, it makes more sense that humans created God than the other way round. Religion is what is alive, not God.
It is the mighty of religion that has made an impact on human lives than the mythical objected power of God. It is through religion that relative social tranquility has been realised. However,that is not to say peace is un-attainable in the absence of religion. It is not the intention of this paper too,to say it is not possible to attain the apex level of morality without religion. Every atheist and humanist worth of his or her values would attest to this.  I have seen religion drives people to lend a helping hand on social developments than the hand of God. Some social ills have been perpertuated and committed under the wielding power of religion,than the power of God. In Swaziland,religion have been used to cement the authority of the monarch, not the voice of God.

I think this whole thing about God had been blown out of proportion. It has delayed developments and supported tyranns. I know many people say God speaks for himself. I disagree. They do the talking for him. If he ever lived, He is dead by now. I do not want to think He is incompetent or rather, too busy to notice the hell humanity is going through. It cannot be His will.

In Swaziland,God is taken for granted. Four months ago, a terrible road accident occured at Malagwane leaving the rest of us reeling in pain. The solution to this, it was agreed was prayer. On or about 2011 ,the kingdom experienced some economic meltdown. The churches of Swaziland organised a prayer. This was an insult to able thinking Swazis because our economic problems are man-made. Again,religion was used to disguise the maladministration of government. People who should have lost their jobs, worse, take a detour to prison escaped through religion.

This paper intends to assert that God does not live. It is only the pious imagination of uncontent people who created all this. If He lives, let Him prove himself to this generation that is trying hard to find an evidence that he lives.  It is not enough to hear from Christian apologetics such as St Paul, the disputed apostle ranting about seeing the Lord. What happened to the Old Testament belief that anyone who sees God does not live to tell the tale?

By Khayelihle Simelane

The question asked in a report by the BBC was: why do thousands of Muslims visit Mecca every year?

And my answer to the above question is based on critical thinking. Some religious people will probably label it as misguided and lack comprehension of the nature of god, however I stand by these words. Without fear or favour. I would like to point our that I'm not a religious person but I do believe in some of the messages being taught in all the major and minor religions of the world.

Without going any further my answer to their above question is, they were groomed up to believe what they believe, god is not s person he/she cannot occupy one portion of the globe an neglect others. The parents had influence the n their children and the society too. They where made to believe that there is a god that commands worship from them. of course this is an incorrect assumption if we are to think critically about this matter.

god can not be a human being with human attributes, that is to say I do not expect god to have feelings such a jealousy, envy, desire for power. we tend to look at god in anthropomorphic terms and this is incorrect. those are han attributes that shows our weakness as human beings. so in that case this was a way for the prophet, Muhammad to consolidate his power as a religious figure. to do this he had to centralise Islam around one place, his place of birth in Mecca.

According to Donald Goldman, the bible is not a book for children. Why is that so? This is because children are at either the concrete stage of cognitive development. One can not expect a child to read the bible in an abstract way. They are at that point in their lives where they take everything literally or give it nonsystematic interpretation. However, I believe this scholar also failed to mention that people of certain IQ score shouldn't be allowed either. How do you rationalize killing thousands of people all in the new of religion but this is what terrorists groups justify terror activities, they take Qur'an interpretation literally like children in their pre-operational phase of moral development. Further, how just is the issue of enriching pastors by poor congregants. This issue is so prevalent these days.

Religion just like any other substructure of the society is no t a perfect system. One needs to pick what is important while discarding what is dangerous to han existence.

Values in all religions and Misuse of religion

I would like to point out that I'm not a religious person. However, that doesn't mean there is no lesson to be learnt from religion. I mean all religions of the world. Whatever religion you may belong to, I it is important to learn from others. This is not only important for our peaceful coexistence as people of different backgrounds and religions but  we also develop mentally and spiritually.

My idea of a god is different from most people ever since I started being a student of all religions. I don't not see god in the anthropomorphic terms most people see god. Further, critical thinking has led me to the conclusion that there is neither hell nor Pearly  gates of heaven. This is as a result of people's desire for permanence. I learnt that from the enlightened Buddha. Since god is no man I do not believe he could have a desire to be worshipped.

Disagreements on how god should be worship has led to the Jihadist groups such as ISIL, Boko Haram, Al Sha Bab that have terrorised the world all on the name of religious interpretation of the Qur'an. The little knowledge I have on Islam is that the word literally means peace, for this reason I believe individual ambitions, gullibility and struggle for power is the cause of this extremism, not Islam. People sheepishly follow those they deemed superior to them without question. This is where the vital role of logical thinking comes in. We need to question things as human beings... if you believe that there is a higher power. That higher power wouldn't give you something you don't need. Reason is such gift we should be utilising in our daily lives everyday.

I wouldn't be doing justice to this article if I made this just a Muslim problem. Many Christian are just as guilty of this. I'll make an example of "Prophet" T.B. Joshua and many others like him. They are an ever growing trend in modern Christian faith. What fair and just god would condone these pastor who take from the gullible and desperate masses and enrich themselves. It doesn't make any sense to me. Hundreds of his congregants died in his "holy hostels". The "holy man" failed to predict that this was going to take place, Why? If indeed he is closer to god than the rest of us. He has made millions trading this so-called salvation. This reminds me of post medieval era Catholicism, where the rich could by their salvation while they continue with their unscrupulous ways.

There misinformation of religious beliefs has cost many lives. Further, it has contributed to irresponsibility of the rich, who now believe they could do as they please. Why not? They can go to church and pay tithe next Sunday.

Inyoka Makhandakhanda: A living philosophy and thriving indegenous belief than a case of Swazi primitiveness

Summer presents various significances to Swazis down south in sub-saharan Africa. For all countryside dwellers, it signals the farming season. The royal bird, Ligwalagwala herald this auspicious ancient activity by it musical voice interpreted to means  ''phezukomkhono'' (on your arm). It will be hard work and less play till April, the end of the farming season. To traditional Swazis it means more than that. For them summer calls for all obedient Swazis to refrain from spilling water haphazardly as that offends the god of light and thunder. People need to refrain from standing on doorways and children to stop playing soccer within home compounds. These are all religious tenets embedded within the wide-cutting social indigenous religion of Swaziland and largely Africa.   

Summer means something more than what u grew knowing, observing, practising and what has been cultivated within me in my tender years. It evoke the deep-seated curiosity that has been awakened by academic strides in my two final years at the University of Swaziland. It steams my appetite that no western scholar with his scientific explanation have succeeded to quench.

Sadly, no African scholarship has made an attempt to research about. Available literature is vague. It means the story of Inyoka Makhandakhanda returns. Since my childhood, a stormy rain is attributed to this religionised creature. Destroyed buildings and washed away crops remain the manifestation of the seven-headed mystical creature.   According to Swazi traditional dictates, a pseudonym should be used in reference to the monster. Direct name call aggravate it. As far as I recall, it has never been portrayed as an animal great in mercy. It reputation spits that of the Old Testament deity. That is not to say good tales have not been told of it. Traditional healers attest to have been trained by it under water for at least seven years. Children disappear around water ponds and tradition would say that the snake took him. There are many forwarded reasons for such, and it does not mean that healing training is always the objective.  

The issue of Inyoka Makhandakhanda is not a belated one in academic discipline and research endeavors. Rather, it remains one of the fertile place for research. Swazis across all the regions would agree with no doubt that this mythical creature lives. Sadly, no one possess any graphic evidence. This is an area upon which western scholarship has dismissed this as a myth. This is scholarship injustice. We have no graphic evidence that God exist,only chronicled histories of the Israelites affirming His existence.   Of course it is not enough for me as a scholar to say this creature lives, and everybody say so and end there! What empirical evidence exists that gives weight to this Swazi belief? There are many. Religious rituals such as praying in the ponds in rivers have given rise to the existence of Inyoka Makhandakhanda. Sacrificial offerings in the form of money and animals remain as outstanding testimonies.

A classic case is the dam of Manganganeni in the outskirt of Mankayane town in the Manzini region. It is known for the sole use of Pastors Bhekibandla and Khanyakwezwe Vilakati's Jericho Churches. We also have another dam of national Religious significance, the Mantjolo  dam overseen by the Mnisi clan. It history is well chronicled in Swazi literature especial regarding its sacredness.  This close attachment of dams and animals with sacredness is hardly an odd encounter because Africans are known to be religious. Religion exerts great influence upon the Africans worldview. It is the strongest element in traditional background. Religious sensibilities are conspicuously expressed in traditional ceremonies and custom, such as the dance of the first fruit, traditional known as Incwala. Animals feature abundantly in African religion, a feature that made western scholars view  African religion as an animated, barbaric and primitive thing. How wrong!    Dams, rivers, trees, caves and mountains occupy sacred position. The African try as much as he can to live harmoniously with nature.  It is unscholarly to dismiss the existence of the godly water serpent on lack of an image. Do western scholars have the devil's image. I would appreciate to have a copy.  Like a spitfire, once this creature makes a movement, like visiting a female,evidence remains. Some say it is immortal while others argue otherwise.

However,much evidence suggest it is mortal . Traditions stipulate that it changes it appearance shaped by a number of factors. It can change to floating money on the surface of the water or soccer balls. It can transform itself into a beautiful, sexy and curvecious lady.

All these depend on the thing it is targeting to woo, with an insight into that person's interest. Indeed, Inyoka Makhandakhanda is powerful.   How do you know a pond or dam house the seven-headed monster?  As a person who grew up  tending flocks in the countryside and swimming in river ponds, elders gave us signs of its presence. For instance, a pond that always has a rainbow,  a small one, signifies its presence. Moreover, a hanging mist-like-fog  is its sign. Then,  point hard to explain well was by observing the stillness of the water,the colour and the movement of the water.

In conclusion,the mistake African students make is to assume that through educational strides and civilization, the snake's existence is nothing but a myth. They argue so silly on why technology has failed to capture it. This mistake is not isolated to Africans. Western scholars have the same stupid mentality. It is as if African religion and beliefs can be reduced to simplicities that can be explained away by the use of a camera and technology.    

Khayelihle Simelane is a former BA in Humanities student at the University of Swaziland. He majored in History and Theology and Religious Studies. He is also a former contributing writer at the Times of Swaziland.

Nokwane Eviction: a Graphic Case of a Heartless Government

It is showcased as the new promise of Africa. It is described by those very close to the ruling elite as the peaceful kingdom in sub-sahara. This is none other than Swaziland,a little mountainous kingdom hedged between two economical towering nations, South Africa and Mozambique.

In 1973 ,the late King Sobhuza dampened the true spirit of democracy when he passed the decree that outlawed political parties. Since then, democratic reforms have been trifled by all means, most notably the politicisation of Swaziland's two annual ceremonies, namely ; umhlanga and incwala. It is through this monarchial decree that has made Sobhuza's son the absolute power-wielding king he is. And up to date, the elite's stranglehold has been tightened through the enactment into law the Suppression of Terrorism Act, 2008.  Through this piece of legislation, members of the fourth estate are languishing in the kingdom's prisoners, with relatives and members of society, especially known political activists barred from visiting them.

A recently concluded case that sent waves across the world is that of known human rights attorney, Thulani Maseko and The Nation magazine editor, Bheki Makhubu. These illustrates the irony preached by the ardent of the system and point to the never-ending humiliation the over 1.2 million people undergo everyday in Swaziland. 

Just this week, about twenty homesteads were demolished to give way to the multi-million Science and Bio Technology Park to be constructed in Nokwane. The evictees represents what i can call  ''Swazilised'' dalit/ untouchables-the people at the lowest social strata whose concerns and needs are way out of the government's priorities. The eviction went ahead despite a court order stopping it. In Swaziland courts have ceased to be courts in the literal sense. Rather, Swazi courts have been turned into government puppets. Judges are handpicked without abiding by the tenets of the Constitution, a document that was blessed by His Majesty in 2005 at the cattle brye-Swaziland's highest traditional parliament. Defying courts orders is not new in Swaziland.

In 2002 ,the Prime Minister in line released a press statement that government was not going to respect courts judgements. This was in September, 28 over the kaMkhweli/Macetjeni chieftaincy disputes. This resulted in the enmasse resignation of judges. With the PM's return to politics in 2008 ,the judiciary lapsed into unprecedented level of crisis. No one from the ruling elite is willing to restore the dignity of the judiciary. Attempts by then Minister for Justice Reverend David Matse led to his axing. The Swazi judiciary is  a hot potato only on the laps of ordinary citizens, the Swazi dalits who only deserve to have their homes demolished. In Swaziland one do not remember years by date but by the year of the Kontjingila chieftaincy disputes that led to a blood-curdling war ; by the year the people of Macetjeni were deposed by government trucks to differents parts of the country; by the November 28 statement. And now, we will not remember Swaziland by the year a multi-billion airport was built on the flying face of poverty or the stealing of citizens' money through circulars but by the heartless  eviction of the people of Nokwane.

We will remember it by the silence of people such as MP Jan Sithole who ran his election campaign as the embodiment of liberal hopes. Yes, he ran as the embodiment of liberal electoral aspirations, and now he stands as the emblem of the limitations in those aspirations. 

The Nokwane eviction is a clear graphic case of how people not related to the monarchy are treated in a kingdom praised as the African pulpit. This incidence speaks volumniously of how the 1973 decree together with the coronation of King Mswati III have relegated the Swazi people to mere spectators of the political game.
The king is indeed a lion in the true sense and the people true subjects.  Swaziland connotes numerous meanings to the people at the lowest ebb of the social ladder.   Over the years, voices calling for regime change has increased. In retaliation, the government unleashed the security forces and the courts on alk dissenting voice. Two options await Mswati's critics inside gaol : life long sentence or death.

PUDEMO President Mario Masuku and SWAYOCO president are living testimonies of the scathing claws of the Swazi government. The Prime Minister in line, Dr Sibusiso Dlamini stated that the use of bastinado might be an answer to these people seen as the enemies of the state. He also urged chiefs to strangle them. There is no freedom in Swaziland. Journalists are threatened everyday and Judge Mpendulo Simelane, a novice and inexperienced judge, unconstitutional appointed has vowed to teach local scribes one or two lesson. I and my colleague expect the same treatment from his lordship.

Khayelihle Simelane, a former University of Swaziland student . He studied towards a degree in BA Humanities, majoring in History and Theology, Religious Studies.

Sub-SaharaPost author

Why religion matters and how it has been misinterpreted

I would like to point out that I'm not a religious person. However, that doesn't mean there is no lesson to be learnt from religion. I mean all religions of the world. Whatever religion you may belong to, I it is important to learn from others. This is not only important for our peaceful coexistence as people of different backgrounds and religions but  we also develop mentally and spiritually.

My idea of a god is different from most people ever since I started being a student of all religions. I don't not see god in the anthropomorphic terms most people see god. Further, critical thinking has led me to the conclusion that there is neither hell nor Pearly  gates of heaven. This is as a result of people's desire for permanence. I learnt that from the enlightened Buddha. Since god is no man I do not believe he could have a desire to be worshipped.

Disagreements on how god should be worship has led to the Jihadist groups such as ISIL, Boko Haram, Al Sha Bab that have terrorised the world all on the name of religious interpretation of the Qur'an. The little knowledge I have on Islam is that the word literally means peace, for this reason I believe individual ambitions, gullibility and struggle for power is the cause of this extremism, not Islam. People sheepishly follow those they deemed superior to them without question. This is where the vital role of logical thinking comes in. We need to question things as human beings... if you believe that there is a higher power. That higher power wouldn't give you something you don't need. Reason is such gift we should be utilising in our daily lives everyday.

I wouldn't be doing justice to this article if I made this just a Muslim problem. Many Christian are just as guilty of this. I'll make an example of "Prophet" T.B. Joshua and many others like him. They are an ever growing trend in modern Christian faith. What fair and just god would condone these pastor who take from the gullible and desperate masses and enrich themselves. It doesn't make any sense to me. Hundreds of his congregants died in his "holy hostels". The "holy man" failed to predict that this was going to take place, Why? If indeed he is closer to god than the rest of us. He has made millions trading this so-called salvation. This reminds me of post medieval era Catholicism, where the rich could by their salvation while they continue with their unscrupulous ways.

There misinformation of religious beliefs has cost many lives. Further, it has contributed to irresponsibility of the rich, who now believe they could do as they please. Why not? They can go to church and pay tithe next Sunday.

A University [UNISWA] Research Project: TENSIONS BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND MODERN MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, A SEARCH TOWARDS COLLABORATION

UNIVERSITY OF SWAZILAND

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES

TITLE: TENSIONS BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND MODERN MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS: A SEARCH TOWARDS COLLABORATION
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NAME: Mbulelo Ndlangamandla

ID NUMBER: 141083

A research project submitted to the Department of Theology and Religious Studies in a partial fulfillment of the requirement of the award of a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

[subsahararesearch.blogspot.com]

Declaration

I ________________________ declare that this research project is my own and has not been submitted for any degree or examination in any institution.

____________________ ______________________

Signature Date

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank my supervisor Mrs. S. Nyawo, for guiding me thorough the writing of this project. I also wish to thank modern and traditional medical practitioners who willingly participated in this study. Special thanks also go to Mr. V. Simelane for introducing me to other traditional medical practitioners. My sincere gratitude also goes to the Swazi Government for providing me with the much needed financial assistance to conduct field research and then compile this research. Finally, I am indebted to my family for providing me with the much needed support and the inspiration throughout my study. [subsahararesearch.blogspot.com]

Abstract

This study explored the bases of the tensions between traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) and modern medical practitioners (MMPs) in attempt to forge a way forward towards collaboration. It was conducted with seven participants selected on the bases of their education level, type of practice, and their proximity to the researcher. It emerged from the data that tensions between TMPs and MMPs were caused by socio-religious perceptions held by the practitioners. My interpretation of the data has shown that TMPs and MMPs are more constructive to each other as independent medical systems. Further, I suggested that the proposed registration by some MMP informants could be an effective strategy to regulate the services of TMPs and MMPs.

Chapter One   
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1. Background

Traditional healing and modern medicine are important health care systems in Swaziland. Their collaboration is crucial because it can ensure an adequate and improved health care system in the country. The University of Swaziland in particular is in full support of an anticipated collaboration between both health care systems. This is attested by the UNISWA Vice-Chancellor’s report of 2011/2012, which states the mandate of the UNISWA research Centre that it is to conduct a multidisciplinary research on medical and indigenous wild edible plants (2012). The report further posits that in fulfilling the above mandate, the involvement of different stakeholders such as traditional health practitioners and scientists is critical (2012). Emeritus Prof. Makhubu, stating the urgency of the collaboration made a remark in her book Traditional medicine and healing in Swaziland that in Africa alone 80 per cent of the population is known to rely on traditional medicine for primary health care (2009). Makhubu’s statement shows that a majority of the population still has confidence in traditional healing; hence the need to allow the two types of healing practices to collaborate.

As stated above, empirical research has shown that the majority of Africans rely on traditional medicine as primary health care. An article published on the 29^th of June 2012 by the Mail & Guardian further emphasizes this importance by stating that “healers fill the Swaziland medical gap.” Put differently, traditional medicine complements modern medicine. According to Adeniji the reason traditional medicine is widely used is because it is deeply rooted in African culture and is closely intertwined with beliefs on the causes of illnesses (2001). Mbiti echoes Adeniji by saying, every village in Africa has a medicine man within reach and he is the friend of the community; he is accessible to everyone, and at almost all times (1970).

However there seems to be existing tensions between the two types of healing practices. In an article published by the Times of Swaziland on the 14^th of August 2009, Nhlavana Maseko, a renowned traditional healer is reported to have acknowledged the collaboration between traditional medical practitioners and modern medical practitioners, but accused modern medical sector of defaming traditional healing, whilst referring to the traditional practitioners as witches. The incidences quoted above therefore shows that collaboration between traditional healing and modern health care is crucial, but it has not been achieved as yet. The logical question that comes to mind is why; hence, the focus of this research.

2. Statement of the Problem

In a report about the Proceedings of the workshop on the Integration of Traditional Medicine with Conventional in the Health Delivery System in Swaziland, Maseko (2007) accused the University of Swaziland, World Health Organisation (WHO), and Ministry of Health and Social welfare of failing Traditional Medical Practitioners. Furthermore, in an article published by the Times of Swaziland on the 14^th of August 2009, He “slammed” modern medical practitioners and accused them of defaming traditional medical system. As of now, there seems to be little progress made towards collaboration between traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) and modern medical practitioners (MMPs).

The study sought to find the bases of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs, in an attempt to explore the possibility of the two medical systems collaborating.

3. Literature Review

Literature shows that scholars writing from different perspective have made some contributions on the subject of collaboration between traditional and modern medical system. Adeniji (2001), Dlamini (2006), Makhubu (2009) and Mbiti (1970) have agreed with one another that traditional healers and traditional medicine form a very important system of the African people such that it is used by a majority of the people in Africa. Makhubu echoes Mbiti and Dlamini that a large portion of the population will visit a modern health facility as well as consult traditional healers in times of sickness.

Dlamini further commends the traditional healer’s approach to illness that it is more holistic; it addresses the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspect of the individual. These are sentimentalities she shares with Mbiti and Makhubu. The approach of traditional healing has been identified by these scholars as the primary reason for its survival in the age of western scientific healing. Moreover Makhubu and Adeniji agree that traditional healing is embedded in the culture of Africans.

Makhubu and Mbiti both identify that there is stigma towards the use of traditional medicine in African emanating from the colonial period. Mbiti adds that the educated go secretly to the medicine-men or follow treatment. Makhubu and Mbiti show us a negative depiction of traditional medicine which continues to develop over the years, and they discouraged such an attitude.

The place of traditional medicine reveals to us that traditional healing is very important to the African people. Moreover, the distinctiveness of this form of medicine from modern medicine discloses that it should be preserved as it possesses some advantages when compared to the latter. The scholars also reveal to us the damaging impact posed by the negative perception of African medicine. Both health systems play a crucial role in facilitating a good health care to Swazis, but there are existing tensions which hinder progress in realising collaboration between the two. The focus of this study therefore is to explore the factors which make this much needed collaboration a pipedream in Swaziland.

4. Significance of the Study

Collaboration between traditional and modern medical systems would create an environment where by medical problems could be shared between TMPs and MMPs. A problem shared is a problem halved. TMPs could make referrals to MMPs and vice versa depending on which best deals with that particular illness. In a society stricken by the HIV pandemic, modern medical system in the country needs all the help it could get. Collaboration between traditional and modern medical system could provide that.

5. Methodology

A qualitative approach was proposed for this study because qualitative research aims to gather an in-depth understanding of human behaviour and reasons that govern such behaviour. I used a semi-structured interview guide comprising of both open and closed ended questions. The semi-structured interview guide was useful in getting mixed responses. I also conducted unstructured interviews with students from the medical health sciences; this was useful for questions that had developed during the course of the field research. I took notes during the interviews.

This study used purposive sampling method to select the sample. Purposive sampling allowed me to use a variety of criteria to take decisions concerning the individuals to be included in the sample. My sample included traditional medical practitioners, modern medical practitioners and students from the medical health sciences. They were selected from the Shiselweni and Manzini region because of their proximity with the researcher. Secondary sources were also consulted to supplement the primary data. The total number of the sample was seven.

1. Objectives

1. Discuss the current state of the collaboration between MMPs and TMPs.
2. Establish the bases of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs.
3. Discuss the strategies that can facilitate a successful collaboration between TMPs and MMPs.

7. Limitations

During the field research some practitioners agreed to give an interview, however they declined to sign the consent form. Further, the interviews took place at the workplaces of the medical practitioners, so there were constant interruptions by patients who sought medical assistance; the interviews had to be stopped and rescheduled. One TMP could not be reached for a follow up interview. Another limitation was the refusal of the use of a recording gadget by some medical practitioners while in other instances the workplaces were too noisy to record properly. A poor response to certain key questions was another limitation encountered during the data collection process. As a result of the above mentioned limitations some responses had to be excluded from study. However, follow up interviews were conducted to make up for the interruptions. Additionally, I conducted informal interviews with students from the medical health sciences to compensate for some of the above mentioned limitations.

Chapter Two  
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1. Introduction

This chapter presents data collected from the Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMPs) and Modern Medical Practitioners (MMPs). Themes have been created from the responses, to answer questions on the bases of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs. There were seven informants that responded to three different sets of questions. Secondary sources were also consulted to supplement the primary data. The following factors were considered when choosing the informant: the education level, the type of practice, and their proximity to the researcher. Informal interviews were conducted with two students in the medical health sciences who were exposed to the operations of both medical systems.

2. Profile of the informants

3. Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMPs)
   1. Collaboration between TMPs and MMPs according to TMPs

Having explained to the three informants what collaboration meant, I asked them whether it existed between TMPs and MMPs. They were representing the traditional medical system.

Vusie Simelane said that there was collaboration between TMPs and MMPs; for example through the collaboration he had since learnt that people on ARVs should not be allowed to take traditional medicine. Simelane added that he was empowered in workshops for TMPs where they were taught by medical doctors on how to better handle certain lifestyle diseases. However, Simelane shared his concern that MMPs dominated in these workshops since they did not bother asking for the input of TMPs.

Jabulani Mhlanga was somehow sceptical about the collaboration, such that he shared his fears on it. He said that the collaboration between MMPs and TMPs was dominated by MMPs who they wanted to change the way TMPs practiced, yet each TMP had his/her own way of treating patients. Mhlanga added that the collaboration was not beneficial to TMPs, because they had been stopped from using certain roots from plants that had been labelled as endangered species.

However, Mr M on a more positive note had this to say, “mine nginebudlelwane lobuhle nabo dokotela, ngoba tigulane letinabo TB ngivele ngitichubekisele kibo bodokotela, ngoba ngiyati kutsi umutsi wesilungu ngiwo lowulapha kahle tifo letinjenga leti” (I have a good working relationship with medical doctors, because I usually refer patients diagnosed with TB to them; I am aware that modern medicine can heal such illness better than traditional medicine). Mr M added that MMPs working for the Ministry of Health had also contributed on how he could better run his herbal shop, in terms of which prescriptions to make his patients.

2. Strategies for a successful collaboration according TMPs

Simelane and Mr M responded positively to the question on how best collaboration could be achieved, whilst Mhlanga remained hesitant about the intentions of the MMPs.

Mr M suggested education could go a long way in facilitating a successful collaboration. He posited that TMPs should to be educated about the aims and the benefits of the collaboration which included exposing them on new trends in healing which could only be achieved through meaningful interaction with MMPs. However, Mr M believed that TMPs, especially those in rural areas, should be given the autonomy to practice so that they would not feel threatened by MMPs and the government.

Simelane on the other hand suggested that focus on a common goal could help in easing the tensions between MMPs and TMPs. He said, “lokusebentisana kufanele kubukane netifo letifana nengculazi esikhundleni sekubukelana phasi” (our collaboration should focus on issues such as HIV instead of looking down upon each other). He further emphasised that focusing on one goal, such as addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS could help in shifting the focus from their differences and help TMPs and MMPs to be united by a common objective.

3. Bases of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs according to TMPs

Respondents raised possible causes of tensions between TMPs and MMPs which were lack of transparency, lack of support, preference of autonomy, religious beliefs, incompatibility of traditional and modern medicine and the prejudicial reports by the print media.

Mhlanga and Simelane spoke convincingly about secrecy that it had caused tensions between TMPs and MMPs. Mr M said that TMPs did not disclose the contents of their medicine to patients and to fellow TMPs. According to Mr M, MMPs have accused TMPs of being uncooperative and referring to some of them as bogus doctors because they refused to reveal the contents of their medicines.

Simelane justified secrecy in traditional medical system by saying, “kulapha ngemutsi wesitfu kuhlukile kunekulapha ngemutsi wasesibhedlela; kufaka ekhatsi emadloti; manje akusiko konkhe lokufaka emadloti lokungakhishelwa ebaleni” (healing in traditional medicine is different from healing with hospital medicine; it involves the ancestors; it is not everything that involves the ancestors that one can disclose). Simelane lamented that MMPs did not understand traditional medical system and mistook the lack of transparency for lack of knowledge of traditional medicine.

Dr Nhlavana Maseko was also quoted admitting that there was lack of transparency in traditional medical system. Maseko (2007) explained that the fear of neglect always led to secrecy – only equal partnership could lead to a good working relationship. Maseko (2007) put the blame on MMPs for neglecting and being uncooperative with traditional healers.

Mr M and Simelane cited the lack of support for traditional medical system by MMPs and the Ministry of health as another cause for the tensions. Simelane said that TMPs were not supported in Swaziland like in other countries; the Ministry of Health only got involved when it wanted TMPs to stop them from using roots from certain protected trees. Simelane added that the lack of support for TMPs had caused tensions between TMPs and MMPs because it seemed that MMPs were supplied with all the medicine they needed by the government, yet the same government was trying to take from them the little source of medicine they had.

Mr M added this observation, “ngicabanga sizatfu natsi kutsi sitfola kusitakala lokuncane kutsi sitfolakala emadolobheni ngoba tinyanga letitfolakala emakhaya atikutfoli kunakekeleka” (I think that the reason we get the limited support from the government is because we are located in the city; TMPs in rural areas are not taken care of). However, Mr M lamented that they were no longer allowed to sell roots from trees that had been labelled as protected by the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs.

The tensions between TMPs and MMPs were further confirmed by Maseko (2007) who posited “TMPs received no support from, and were deceived when they approached by the University of Swaziland, World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.” He further criticized MMPs for attempting to take control of the collaboration. According to Maseko “the University of Swaziland, WHO and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have failed the traditional healers.”

Mr M posited that TMPs would like to practice autonomously whilst MMPs wanted an integration of traditional medical health system with modern medical system and this was causing tension between TMPs and MMPs. According to Mr M, recent events suggested that MMPs preferred integration of traditional medical system with modern medical system. Mr M was echoed by Simelane and Mhlanga.

Elaborating on the tensions between TMPs and MMPs traditional medical system Mr M asserted that traditional healers have various specialities and their approach in healing differed from each other. Their fear of the collaboration stemmed from that TMPs would be intimidated by MMPs and would no longer be able to heal patients as they usually did. Mhlanga and Simelane spoke persuasively that TMPs needed their freedom to practice, not be controlled and dictated to by MMPs on how to conduct their practice.

In Maseko (2007), such concerns were raised when the president of traditional healers association expressed in a workshop report titled Proceedings of the Workshop on the Integration of Traditional Medicine with Conventional Medicine in the Health Delivery System in Swaziland held on 4^th April 2007. Maseko (2007) argued “the integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine is not acceptable to traditional healers.” He posited that TMPs under normal circumstances could prefer collaboration, but they were unfortunately deceived by MMPs into what seemed like collaboration. On this matter Prof. Emeritus Makhubu (2009) added that TMPs have long opposed the idea of integration, preferring collaboration instead.

Religious beliefs were raised by Mhlanga and Simelane as another cause of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs. Simelane said that the problem was that most TMPs were born-again Christians they had misconception that Christianity was against the use traditional medicine. He further revealed that he was a Jericho pastor, yet he also practiced traditional healing.

Contrary to Simelane and Mhlanga’s views, Mr M argued that Christianity did not have any influence in people’s decision to despise traditional medicine. He made example of himself that he was a Christian and yet he used traditional medicine. Mr M claimed that Christians did not despise traditional medicine; however they were against traditional medicine on which divination had been performed on.

The incompatibility of traditional and modern medicine was identified by the TMPs as another cause of the tensions between traditional and modern medicine. Mr M and Simelane pointed out that in some cases traditional and modern medicines were not compatible. Conversely, Mhlanga also found the incompatibility.

Mr M claimed that most TMPs were aware of the complications of mixing modern and traditional medicine together, that was why they did not allow their patients to be injected while taking traditional medicine. Mr M added that some traditional and modern medicine worked against each other, which worsened an illness. MMPs have revealed TMPs who refused their patients to be injected made their work difficult and were a threat to the lives of the patients.

According to Simelane some traditional and modern medicines worked against each other; nonetheless some TMPs ignored this and caused harm to their patients. Simelane commented that in this era of HIV/AIDS one could not expect patients who were HIV positive to use traditional medicine even on illnesses that could be better cured by traditional medicine. He claimed that TMPs who had ignored this had created a rift between TMPs and MMPs.

Mr M also pointed out that disease such as libhande (herpes zoster) which was linked to HIV infection was better cured with traditional medicine. However, he added that this was no longer possible since ARV drugs worked against traditional medicine. Mr M added that some TMPs were either unaware or ignored these facts, and this had led to tensions between TMPs and MMPs.

Only Mr M identified print media as one factor that exacerbated tension between TMPs and MMPs. Mr M pointed out that the print media only showed the negative side of traditional medical system. Mr M observed that MMPs would cite these publicized deaths in their arguments against traditional medicine. In his words, he said “indlela labaveta ngayo umutsi wesintfu ayisilo liciniso; tiwasho atisuye umutsi wesintfu, netintfo letifakwa kiwo atifani; kepha emaphepheni kuvele kutsiwe umutsi wesintfu ubulele bantfu” (the portrayal of traditional medicine is incorrect; concoctions (tiwasho) are not the same thing as traditional medicine; even the ingredients differ, however the print media claim that traditional medicine kills people). Mhlanga and Simelane on the other hand expressed that they did not follow news in the print media.

4. Modern Medical Practitioners
   1. Collaboration between TMPs and MMPs according to MMPs

Two modern medical practitioners were asked if there was collaboration between modern and traditional medical systems; it was Calsina and Ntombi. These were nurses that have practiced for more than 30 years in the medical field.

Calsina argued that there was no collaboration between MMPs and TMPs. In her view, “kute kube khona kusebentisana, tinyanga kudzinga tibhaliswe njengoba natsi (bonesi) sibhalisiwe” (in order for collaboration to take place, TMPs would have to be registered first as we (nurses) are registered). She further advanced that TMPs rarely referred their patients to clinics until they were very ill and required extensive care.

Ntombi echoed Calsina by saying that there was no collaboration between TMPs and MMPs. She posited that this could be seen during workshops that most of the people present were MMPs. TMPs therefore seemed to be less interested in working with MMPs. Ntombi and Calsina pointed out that TMPs were very secretive with the contents of their medicine and its side-effects, hence their unwillingness to work with MMPs.

2. Strategies for a successful collaboration according MMPs

The two informants proposed strategies that would facilitate a successful collaboration between TMPs and MMPs.

Ntombi pointed out that education for both TMPs and MMPs was necessary to facilitate a successful collaboration. She said that there should be training of MMPs in order for them to understand the traditional medical system. Furthermore, medical universities and colleges should also offer courses especially on collaboration between traditional and modern medicine. She further posited that it was now a difficult subject to understand because she was had been practicing for years without collaborating with TMPs. Ntombi also shared that there should also be training for TMPs who still used conservative approaches in healing. Calsina added that there should be a standardized training period for TMPs because lately some TMPs no longer went through the training process which used to be obligatory in the past.

Calsina argued that in order for the collaboration to be success there should be a registration of TMPs and integration of traditional medical system. Calsina posited “lokumele kwenteke kutsi tonkhe tinyanga tibhaliswe nguhulumende njengoba natsi (bonesi) sabhalisa; loku kungasita sigweme naba bemanga” (what needs to happen is that all TMPs should be registered by the government as we (nurses) are registered; this can help us avoid bogus doctors). Calsina argued that currently TMPs followed no rules; if they could be integrated they would work well together because they would be under the same operational guidelines. Calsina insisted that there should be integration and not just collaboration between traditional and modern medical systems. She pointed out that it would only be through integration of traditional medical system that MMPs could have confidence in all TMPs.

2. Bases of the tensions according to MMPs

Respondents raised possible causes of tensions between TMPs and MMPs. They were the lack of transparency, questionable credibility of TMPs, incompatibility of traditional and modern medicine and incorrect diagnosis for diseases.

According to Ntombi the secrecy of TMPs was a major cause to the tensions between TMPs and MMPs. She commented, “tinyanga tiyafihla kakhulu, abafuni kuveta kutsi imitsi yabo ifakwe ini, loku kwenta singakhoni kusebentisana nabo ngoba lemitsi yabo bese igulisa bantfu” (TMPs are secretive, they refuse to reveal the contents of their medicine; this makes any attempt to collaborate with them very difficult, because their medicine makes people ill). Calsina Dlamini also said that in this current condition collaboration was impossible. She added that the repercussion of lack of transparency on the part TMPs would be a multiplication of fake traditional medicine.

Dr Priscilla Dlamini (2002), in a report titled, Research Board Report Series: Facilitating Collaboration between Traditional Healers and Western Trained Health care workers in managing illness in Swaziland, posited “due to the lack of transparency, there was a danger of combining both traditional and modern medicine which has the same effect and hence resulting in unwanted reaction as well as over dosage and exaggerated side effects without the awareness of the other health care worker.”

Calsina echoed Ntombi by saying that traditional medical system was vulnerable to bogus traditional doctors such that MMPs were now distrustful of all TMPs. Calsina shared, “kulamalanga awusati kutsi inyanga mbamba nguyiphi longasiyo nguyiphi” (these days MMPs are never sure who is a real TMP is and who is not). She further claimed that TMPs that healed in the past were more effective than those that were healing nowadays. She stated that in the past TMPs used to specialise on certain illnesses; unlike nowadays where they claim to cure every illness.

Ntombi further claimed that the questionable credibility of traditional healers was another cause to the tensions between TMPs and MMPs; thus MMPs treating all TMPs with suspicion. Ntombi and Calsina were concerned that the bogus traditional doctors tarnished the image of the whole traditional medical system, and collaboration therefore was the only way to weed out these bogus traditional healers from the medical system. Furthermore TMPs should be screened and be obligated to have licenses, in order to better regulate the medical services in the country.

Calsina and Ntombi also observed that there tensions were also as a result by reports by patients who noticed side-effects of using traditional and modern medicine simultaneously. Ntombi said “kuke kwenteka kutsi tigulane tibuye tibika kutsi tikhukhumuka tisu umabasebentisa umutsi wesilungu newesintfu sikhatsi sinye” (I have experienced situations where by patients have reported the swelling of the stomach when they have used traditional and modern medicine simultaneously). According to Calsina and Ntombi the incompatibility of traditional and modern medicine had forced them to discourage their patients from taking traditional medicine and this had not been well received by some TMPs and other members of the public.

Ntombi said that some patients refused injections on their TMPs’ advice. Ntombi argued that this made their work difficult because in modern medical system injections were essential for curing certain illnesses. She added that this meant that certain known illnesses could no longer be cured successfully. Ntombi confirmed that this created a rift between MMPs and TMPs.

Incorrect diagnosis by TMPs had led to tensions between TMPs and MMPs according to Calsina. She posited that TMPs misinformed their patients that they had sidliso (chest pains) when in fact it was either TB or ulcers. Calsina further posited that illnesses such as TB needed to be treated in the early stages; however due to incorrect diagnosis by some TMPs this was very difficult.

Dlamini (2002) revealed that the intolerance of MMPs towards TMPs caused the tensions them. Dlamini quoted an MMP who argued, “I do not want to collaborate with traditional healers because I believe they do not know what they are doing. I feel we, western trained practitioners are able to diagnose and treat illnesses, so we do not need them. Traditional healers make cuts on the body and put in dirty staffs which caused infection on a diabetic patient.” Ntombi echoed the same as Dlamini about other MMPs by saying that some MMPs were intolerant even towards each other, consequently unwelcoming to collaboration with TMPs as well.

5. Health Science Students

5.1 Bases of the tensions according to health science students

Through informal interviews, two students from the medical health sciences raised possible causes of bases of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs. According to Simanga and Mzwandile they were the difference in approach, and the portrayal of traditional medicine by the print media.

According to Mzwandile the print media had published biased reports about TMPs in recent times. He asserted, “The newspapers have published stories of ritual killings and harmful medicines all involving traditional healers; as a result western trained healers and the public at large have developed a negative attitude towards traditional healers and traditional medicine.” Furthermore, he noted that one could hardly find positive reports about TMPs; therefore MMPs who read these reports would not see a reason to collaborate with badly portrayed TMPs.

Simanga and Mzwandile both noted the difference in approach as another cause to the tensions. Simanga posited, “bodokotela netinyanga balapha ngetindlela letihlukile; kute dokotela akulaphe ucale abuke emabhuku akho kutsi uke watsatsa umutsi lonjani wakuphatsa njani, kani tinyanga tiyaphengule tikunike umutsi” (MMPs and TMPs have a different approach to curing diseases; in order for a doctor to attend to your illness he first checks your previous health records to determine which medicine you have used and your reaction to that particular medicine, whilst TMPs perform a divination and then give you your medication). Simanga added that the approach by TMPs could cause complications since patients were at risk of mixing medicine that reacted negatively together.

5.2 Strategies for a successful collaboration

Mzwandile and Simanga stressed the importance of education for both TMPs and MMPs as a strategy for successful collaboration. Zwandile posited that MMPs needed to be educated about the approaches of TMPs. Further he argued that MMPs should be in a position to know what was negotiable to change and what was not in traditional medical system. Simanga had this to say about the importance of education in the collaboration, “tinyanga kumele tifundziseke ngebumcoka bekushitja indlela lekulashwa ngayo, nabo bodokotela abalaphi ngendlela bebalapha ngayo kadzeni; incubekela phambili imcoka ekulapheni” (TMPs need to be educated about the importance of change in healing approaches, even modern healing has evolved over the years, MMPs do not cure diseases the same way they did in the past; progress in medical health is important).

Chapter Three  
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6. Discussion

This study aimed at assessing the bases of the tensions between TMPs and MMPs and strategies which could aid in facilitating a successful collaboration. As mentioned in the literature review there is a negative perception of traditional medicine in the modern African society. The current study found that according to TMPs there was to certain extent collaboration between TMPs and MMPs. TMPs lamented that in most instances MMPs did not value their opinions. Another major grievance by TMPs was that MMPs with the help of the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs have barred them from using herbs from certain trees that have been labelled as endangered. On the other hand MMPs posited that there would be no collaboration between TMPs and MMPs unless TMPs met certain requirements. TMPs and MMPs are not content with the current state of the collaboration; this further emphasises the necessity of addressing the tensions before attempting collaboration.

This study has established tensions between TMPs and MMPs which informants attributed to the lack of transparency by TMPs, lack of support for TMPs, preference of autonomy by TMPs, religious beliefs of MMPs, incompatibility of traditional, modern medicine and the prejudicial reports by the print media, questionable credibility of TMPs, incompatibility of traditional and modern medicine and incorrect diagnosis for diseases by TMPs. Some responses by TMPs and MMPs on the bases of tensions between MMPs and MMPs overlap whilst others are unique to each group. These tensions are an impediment to any meaningful collaboration; hence the importance to address these tensions before an attempting to collaborate. The results of this study indicate that MMPs prefer integration of traditional medical system than collaboration whilst TMPs preferred the latter.

However, existing literature has shown that integration of these two systems is not practical. According to Staugard, (1985) the system of modern and traditional medicine appear, to some extent, to be incompatible, making efforts to integrate them in a comprehensive health care sector deleterious to both. As indicated in the literature review, traditional and modern medical systems have different approach to curing illnesses, so they are more beneficial to each other as independent medical systems. However, integration instead of collaboration may affect this approach by traditional medicine. As Makhubu (2009) puts it, collaboration, rather than integration, is a more useful starting point.

Having established the bases of the tensions the study then explored strategies that could facilitate a successful collaboration. Among the propositions were: integration of traditional and modern medical system, equal recognition of TMPs in the collaboration and the registration of TMPs to the relevant health association bodies in the country. In my view, the integration of traditional medicine is not practical due to the distinctiveness of each medical system. However, the proposed registration by some MMP informants could be an effective strategy to regulate the services of both TMPs and MMPs. Further this proposed registration could also be effective in reducing bogus traditional doctors that tarnish the image of the traditional medical system.

1. Summary

This study has shown that TMPs and MMPs would like to see a successful collaboration between traditional and modern medical system. It was also shown that there were complications between the two medical systems in the attempt to forge collaboration. Both TMPs and MMPs raised the bases of the tensions between traditional and modern medical system. Further, MMPs, TMPs and Students in the medical health sciences suggested strategies on how this collaboration can be successful.

2. Conclusion

This paper has given an account of and the bases for tensions that have hindered progress in the collaboration between traditional and modern medical systems. It has argued that the tensions existed before the collaboration was proposed. Further it argued that TMPs and MMPs currently do not have a good relationship. However, the study was able to demonstrate that both TMPs and MMPs want the collaboration since a majority proposed strategies that may facilitate a successful collaboration.

Reference

Adeniji K. O. (2001), Traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia: contribution to ethno botanical and floristic studies in Swaziland, Lagos: Organization of African Unity, Scientific, Technical & Research Commission

  Dlamini Priscilla S. (2002), Facilitating collaboration between traditional healers and the Western trained health care workers in the management of illnesses in Swaziland, Kwaluseni: University of Swaziland

Makhubu Lydia P. (2009), Traditional medicine and healing in Swaziland, Kwaluseni: University of Swaziland

Maseko N. (2007), integration of conventional and traditional medicine: A Traditional Medical Practitioners perspective. In Amusan O. O. G. (Ed.), Proceeding of workshop on integration of traditional medicine with conventional medicine in the health delivery Systems in Swaziland Held 4^th April, University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni, Swaziland.

  Mbiti John S. (1990), African Religions and Philosophy, Oxford: Heinemann

Times of Swaziland, 85% of Swazis consult tinyanga - Nhlavana, 14^th August 2009

Mail & Guardian, healers fill the Swaziland medical gap, 29^th June 2012

UNISWA Vice-Chancellor’s report of 2011/2012 (2012) Kwaluseni: The Cooperate Affairs office

Appendix A

INFORMED CONSENT FORM

University of Swaziland

Department of Theology & Religious Studies

The purpose of this form is to explain the nature of the study so that you may have necessary information for agreeing to participate in it willingly. All aspects of your participation in the study are described below. If after reading this form, you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with Mrs. S. Nyawo the supervisor of this project whose name and contact details appear at the end of this form. Once you are entirely satisfied with this explanation and freely consent to participate in this study, you may indicate your willingness to participate by signing in the space provided below.

Request for your participation in the Study

You are invited to participate in a research project I am conducting as an individual academic piece of work under the department of theology & religious studies at the University of Swaziland. This study seeks to examine the bases of the tensions between traditional and modern medical practitioners.

Purpose of the Study

This study seeks to examine the bases of the tensions between traditional and modern medical practitioners.

Your Involvement in the Study

You have been identified as part of the subject population. As such, you are requested to be one of my interviewees. I request an in depth oral interview with you at a location of your choice and at a time you will agree on.

Interview/ Data Gathering Procedures

I will write down your responses and also record them on tape.

Benefits and Risks of the Study

There is no material benefit that you will receive for participating in the study. It is expected that the results of the study will shed light to the society on the bases of the tensions between traditional and modern medical practitioners and the strategies which can facilitate a successful collaboration. There is no predictable risk of physical injury associated with your participation in the study.

Consent Statement

I understand the explanation provided in this form about the study I am being asked to participate in. in light of this, I voluntarily agree to participate in the study. I have been given a copy of the consent form which I have signed and will keep.

Signature & contact number

Date

Researcher’s Signature

Name of Supervisor

Mrs S. Nyawo

Signature:

Contact Details

Tel: (00268) 25170217

Fax: (00269) 25184391

Mobile: 76125593

E-mail: snyawo@uniswa.sz

Appendix B

Research Questions

A. BIOGRAHICAL INFROMATION

1. Name of Participant :

2. Age :

3. Occupation :

4. Profession Certification :

5. Work area :

6. Years Active in the Field :

7. Education Level :

B. Traditional medical practitioners’ Questions

1. What is your view about the use of modern medicine?
2. Why are some patients advised not to take modern medicine while they are being treated with traditional medicine? Do you think that Traditional and Modern medicine can collaborate while there is the problem of incompatibility?
3. Is there a way for Traditional and Modern medical system work together successfully?
4. What has caused to the tarnished image of Traditional medical system?
5. In what way has religion been a factor in the tensions between Traditional and Modern medical system?

Modern medical practitioners’ Questions

1. What is your opinion about the use of Traditional medicine in the age of modern medicine?
2. What is the cause for tensions between Traditional and modern medical practitioners?
3. How can the tensions between TMPs and MMPs be ironed out?
4. How will integration of traditional medical system and modern medical system improve relations?
5. Do you think that a successful collaboration between Traditional and Modern medical system is possible? How?

Health Sciences students (informal interviews)

1. What do you think is the cause of the tensions between Traditional and Modern medical practitioners?
2. In your opinion is traditional medicine still relevant in our modern era?
3. How can these tensions be address in order to facilitate a successful collaboration?

Appendix C

Overall interviews Date of Interviews Duration

Nelson Mr M                        31-01-2014                                   1hr 25min

Ntombi -                               21-01-2014                                          55min

Calsina Dlamini                    27-01-2014                                  1hr 10min

Vusi Simelane                      26-01-2014                                          45min

Jabulani Mhlanga                 28-01-2014                                          30min

(Informal Interviews)                Date of interview Duration

Mzwandile Simelane                               03-02-2014 

Simanga -                                                03-02-2014              25min