While most of the traditional healers claim that they can cure HIV, Kenyetsi acknowledge that she cannot cure it. Mapungubwe is one of many traditional healers in Mopani district who claims that he can cure HIV. He practices his healing in Tzaneen near a small river. Scientists all over the world have acknowledgedthat at the moment there is no cure for HIV however people are fooled by some quacks who wants to make money out of people’s lives.
Most of the traditional healers in Limpopo, particularly in the Mopani district tells their clients despite the confirmed clinical results of an HIV test that they don’t have HIV instead they have Makhuma. Makhuma is a condition known to occur if a person a sexual partner and he or she is not cleansed traditionally. Makhuma might exist but lets us not confuse it with HIV.
HIV is a virus that infects human beings. When it enters the human body it targets the immune system because that where it can replicate or multiply in order to reproduce. When the immune system of a person is destroyed or weakened because of the existence of HIV inside someone’s body it becomes easy for other infections to attack the body. This is because the immune system is a defence mechanism for our bodies but now it has been weakened. During this period, a person can feel sick or weak and may have some of the HIV related opportunistic infections. Common opportunistic infections in South Africa are Tuberculosis and Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia. These are the common opportunistic infections that are responsible for the loss of live for so many South Africans living with HIV.
Kenyetsi Shivuri is a traditional healer based in Dan village outside Tzaneen town. She said “I can’t cure HIV I can only assist the patient to control other conditions related to HIV” she continued and said “If a person is vomiting or has diarrhoea I can assist that patient”. She said she also advice patients not to take ARV and traditional medication at the same time. She can also accompany the patient to the hospital or clinic for drip if she sees the need for a patient to get a drip. “my advice to people living with HIV is that they must take care of their lives and take rightful steps to better their health conditions” only ARVs can treat HIV but the cannot cure it. She concluded.
Pictures: Top Left, Mapungubwe who claims he can cure HIV
Below Right, Kenyetsi who acknowledges that she cannot cure HIV
Get Full Story on How Mapungubwe claims he can cure HIV
All Photos by Adam Malapa
