Traditional healers group condemns Steenhuisen ‘hateful’ utterances

Traditional healers group condemns Steenhuisen ‘hateful’ utterances

Traditional healers group, Injeje Yabelaphi, has condemned recent utterances made by DA leader John Steenhuisen which called for traditional healers to be shot.

At the weekend, during a DA event at the Union Buildings, Steenhuisen uttered the words “Dubula Inyanga”, which can be loosely translated to “shoot a traditional healer”, in a slogan that resembles the infamous “Shoot the Boer” slogan.

“’Dubula Nyanga’. That’s exactly what we’re going to do this election because we’ve got the size, people, experience, track record, and the plan,” Steenhuisen said in a viral video clip.

It is the same slogan that the DA and other parties have criticised the EFF as advocating for hate speech against white people.

The Durban-based group under the INJEJE yabeNGUNI Council that is affiliated with the Native Healers and Science Practitioners, said it condemns in the strongest terms, Steenhuisen’s remarks.

“AbeLaphi condemn in the strongest terms the ‘Dubula iNyanga’ hate speech and incitement to violence against Native Healers by DA leader John Steenhuisen at their parties manifesto launch on the 17th of February 2024.

“His ‘Dubula iNyanga’ statements are a reminder of how both the colonial and apartheid governments vilified and suppressed native healers and science practitioners as both regimes knew and understood the significant role they play in the development of society and its people spiritually, communally and economically,” the group said.

The group said the democratic government continues to fail traditional leaders and anything that has to do with the indigenous way of life of most black South Africans.

“The government of 1994 has done little to recognise the role that was suppressed by past governments and continue to pass laws without consultations with abeLaphi. Some of these laws ultimately contribute to the destruction of families, homes and society who then turn to Native Healers than they do hospitals, in trying to rebuild what has been destroyed by what we deem the ignorance of government,” it said.

As a result, the group said it will be advocating for the establishment of the House of Natives Healers to be established in Parliament so as to safeguard the traditions and customs of South Africans.

“It is for this reason INJEJE yabeLAPHI will be advocating for the establishment of a House of Native Healers to be established in the National Assembly and Provincial Legislatures so as to ensure that no laws are passed that go against our inalienable constitutional and international right to self-determination.

“We therefore condemn in the strongest terms the ‘Dubula iNyanga’ statements made by John Steenhuisen and will be consulting our legal unit to this effect as we can no longer remain silent whilst abeLaphi are treated as second class citizens in a land whose natural environment we are connected with,“ it said.

Steenhuisen’s utterances also drew criticism from ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who said he is confused on what Steenhuisen means.

“I am watching John and he makes a statement about ‘Dubula inyanga’. Can anyone explain what that means. Loosely translated will mean: Shoot the Moon. Now in isiZulu ‘inyanga’ is a traditional healer or herbalist,” Mbalula said on X.

The Star

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