City of Tshwane grants a special leave for employees undergoing Ukuthwasa (Sangoma) initiation.
Image: SAPA stringe
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has welcomed the City of Tshwane Municipality’s decision to grant special leave for employees undergoing Ukuthwasa training, which is the training to become a traditional healer.
This comes after the municipality introduced the policy earlier this month to support cultural practices for employees who are spiritually gifted.
The city believes that continuous education on African spirituality is crucial in the workplace. The party says this policy is a significant affirmation of the rich cultural and spiritual tapestry that defines South African society.
In a statement released on March 9 by the EFF, said this reflects a conscious and commendable move towards embracing indigenous knowledge systems and the critical role that traditional healers continue to play in our societies.
“The City of Tshwane must be applauded for recognising that ukuthwasa is not merely a personal journey but a communal calling that serves the health and spiritual well-being of our people and communities. In granting special leave for this purpose, the City affirms that African cultural and spiritual practices are not inferior to Western paradigms but are equal and valid forms of knowledge and practices that deserve institutional protection and support,” said the EFF.
The Traditional Healers Organisation has also welcomed the decision and called on other government bodies and private sectors to adopt similar policies.
The organisation said they have been waiting for years for such a milestone.
This decision, as also affirmed by the Traditional Healers Organisation, is an important step in the long-overdue recognition of traditional healing as a legitimate and necessary component of our broader healthcare system.
It begins to reverse the historical marginalisation and demonization of traditional healers, who were for too long forced to practise in the shadows of colonial and apartheid prejudice.
The EFF in Gauteng calls on all spheres of government and the private sector to emulate the EFF directives as instituted in City of Tshwane.
"Our cultural and spiritual identity must never be compromised at the altar of Eurocentric bureaucracy. We must ensure that workplaces reflect the full spectrum of our people's lived realities, including the right to honour ancestral callings without fear of economic exclusion or job insecurity," said the EFF.
Kholofelo Morodi, Member of Mayoral Committee for Corporate and Shared Service of the City of Tshwane revealed why the special leave was granted.
"The constitutional law does recognise traditional healers, as there is a body that registers them. As we are able to accept medical certificates from doctors, we will also be able to accept that medical certificate from the traditional healer."
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