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A sick note from your sangoma
SAPA
2003-11-06

Trying to convince your employer to accept a medical certificate from a traditional healer could be a thing of the past in terms of a new bill to come before parliament. According to Jan Stemmett, chairperson of the Labour Law Committee of the Law Society of South Africa, the minister of health has published a notice in the Government Gazette indicating that she intended to introduce the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill. The bill will allow traditional healers, or traditional health practitioners as they will be known, to issue medical certificates for purposes of sick leave. Among other things, the bill provides for the establishment of an Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council, the registration of traditional health practitioners,the fees they may charge and restrictions on unregistered persons. Healers will, however, not be able to issue certificates for purposes of maternity leave. Employers are advised to check whether a traditional healer is registered with the new Council before accepting his or her certificate. Presumably, certified healers will be issued with registration numbers.(source SAPA, 29 October 2003) Links //\// Traditional Health Practitioners Bill Latest Developments: This Bill was submitted on 14 August 2003 in terms of Joint Rule 159 and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health and the Select Committee on Social Services. Background: The Bill provides for the establishment of an Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council. It also provides a regulatory framework to ensure safety, efficacy and quality of treatment. The Bill provides for control over registration and training. For more information contact Debbie Pearmain at 012 312 0611 or email: peard@health.gov.za Draft Traditional Health Practitioners Bill http://www.polity.org.za/pdf/DraftTradHealthPractBill.pdf

Trying to convince your employer to accept a medical certificate from a traditional healer could be a thing of the past in terms of a new bill to come before parliament.

According to Jan Stemmett, chairperson of the Labour Law Committee of the Law Society of South Africa, the minister of health has published a notice in the Government Gazette indicating that she intended to introduce the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill.

The bill will allow traditional healers, or traditional health practitioners as they will be known, to issue medical certificates for purposes of sick leave.

Among other things, the bill provides for the establishment of an Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council, the registration of traditional health practitioners,the fees they may charge and restrictions on unregistered persons.

Healers will, however, not be able to issue certificates for purposes of maternity leave. Employers are advised to check whether a traditional healer is registered with the new Council before accepting his or her certificate.

Presumably, certified healers will be issued with registration numbers. (source SAPA, 29 October 2003)

Links //\//
Traditional Health Practitioners Bill 
Latest Developments: This Bill was submitted on 14 August 2003 in terms of Joint Rule 159 and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health and the Select Committee on Social Services. 
Background: The Bill provides for the establishment of an Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council. It also provides a regulatory framework to ensure safety, efficacy and quality of treatment. The Bill provides for control over registration and training. 
For more information contact Debbie Pearmain at 012 312 0611 or email: peard@health.gov.za 
Draft Traditional Health Practitioners Bill 
http://www.polity.org.za/pdf/DraftTradHealthPractBill.pdf

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