Traditional healers and sangomas will be on call to attend to the needs of African students attending the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the Mercury newspaper reported. The newspaper reported that the “indigenous counselling” initiative would complement Western forms of counselling provided by the Student Counselling Centre.
The Mercury reported that plans are under way to build traditional huts for the healers, following a proposal by the the deputy dean of students Bheki Ncgobo.The need for indigenous healers to diagnose illnesses, prescribe and prepare herbal medicine, provide counselling and offer spiritual support cannot be overemphasised,” Ncgobo was quoted as saying. He said that the project should be seen in the context of “reclaiming our heritage”. “Indigenous counselling attempts to restore the African way of life, primarily to African students. As an institution that upholds African values, we are endeavouring to bring the suppressed culture to students,” he said.
The proposal says that many students, primarily African students, experienced problems that required the special skills of traditional healers.The Mercury reported that “some of the problems experienced by students included being possessed, being chosen by ancestors to stop formal education to be trained as a traditional healer, being unable to concentrate on studies owing to bad spirits or spirits that required purification and cleansing, and madness caused by bad spirits that needed to be exorcised.” Ngcobo’s proposal says that an initial sum of R20,000 would be set aside for the project from the Student Development Fund.It is envisaged that each consultation would cost R20 a student.The sangoma, who has been operating at the university’s Howard College in Durban, told the Mercury that more than 250 students had come to her for help since her arrival a few weeks ago.
By Osama Dumakude
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