Rustenburg - Traditional healers in North West gathered in Rustenburg over two days to come up with laws to regulate their practice.
The two-day summit came to being after traditional healers raised concerned about illegal abortions performed by bogus healers, false promises of curing HIV/Aids, making people rich or bringing back lost lovers as advertised by bogus healers.
The chairperson of the newly established North West Provincial Traditional Healers Practitioners Forum Obakeng Mooki said traditional healers need to do whatever it takes to bring back dignity in heritage, cultural customs and healing methods.
"As traditional healers we are very concerned about the growing ideas that strip off dignity in traditional healing and its methods. That is why we have approached the department [of culture, arts and traditional affairs] to raise our concerns. Our children die from backstreet abortions people claim to be able to do," he said.
Acting North West premier Wendy Nelson praised traditional healers in their efforts to fight bogus healers.
She said it was important for traditional healers and dikgosi (traditional leaders) to deal with the criminal acts that degrade their status.
"As a province we are faced by many social ills. We applaud our traditional healers for coming together to deal with them. One of those is the deteriorating moral compass which is based on bogus doctors giving false things to our people," she said.
"In every corner we see these illegal advertisements...They have taken over every sign post and corner. They target our people who are suffering and in bad situations. We need to protect our people thus thankful for the unity."