The Traditional Health Practice Association of Southern Africa (THPASA NPC) has formally launched a national membership rollout programme that aims to establish a representative network of Traditional Health Practitioners throughout South Africa while laying the foundation for the organisation’s long-term provincial, district and local structures.
The initiative forms part of THPASA’s Expanded National Stabilisation and Reconstitution Programme (ENSRP) 2026–2031 and marks one of the Association’s first major organisational development projects since its establishment as a national non-profit professional body for Traditional Health Practitioners.
According to THPASA, the membership campaign is intended to do more than recruit members. The organisation says it is seeking to build a sustainable institutional framework capable of supporting practitioners across South Africa’s diverse Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems while creating channels for participation, professional development and organisational representation.
South Africa is divided into nine provinces, 44 district municipalities, eight metropolitan municipalities and 205 local municipalities. THPASA says its long-term vision is to establish structures capable of reaching practitioners in all parts of the country, including rural communities where traditional healing remains an important component of community life and indigenous knowledge preservation.
The Association’s Constitution provides for a governance model that will ultimately include Provincial Executive Committees, District Executive Committees and Local Practitioner Forums. These structures are expected to serve as the primary vehicles through which members participate in organisational activities, governance processes and practitioner development programmes.
THPASA President and Chief Executive Officer Dr Thabiso Edison Jameo Calvert said the membership rollout represents an important step towards building a professional institution that reflects the diversity and geographical spread of the traditional health sector.
“Traditional Health Practitioners have served communities across generations in every province of South Africa. If we are serious about professional development, ethical governance and the preservation of Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems, then we must build structures that are accessible to practitioners wherever they are located,” he said.
The organisation has indicated that membership applications will be open to practitioners from a broad range of indigenous healing traditions, including Abelaphi Bendabuko, izangoma, izinyanga, dingaka tsa setso, kruiedokters, herbalists and other recognised practitioners operating within Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems.
Officials say the rollout will be accompanied by a structured orientation programme designed to familiarise new members with the Association’s Constitution, governance framework, ethical standards and professional development opportunities. The programme is expected to introduce practitioners to the rights and responsibilities of membership while also providing guidance on practitioner classification, professional designations and Continuing Professional Development requirements.
Training, Education and Research (TER) programmes will also form a central part of the membership offering. THPASA says it intends to expand opportunities for practitioner-led research, knowledge documentation, mentorship and skills development as part of its broader commitment to strengthening Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems.
The organisation has repeatedly emphasised that indigenous knowledge holders should play a leading role in researching, documenting and preserving their own knowledge traditions.
“Our knowledge systems should not only be the subject of external research. Indigenous practitioners themselves must be active participants in preserving, documenting and advancing that knowledge for future generations,” Calvert said.
THPASA further believes that Continuing Professional Development programmes will contribute to improving practitioner competency, strengthening ethical practice and promoting greater public confidence in the profession. Future CPD activities are expected to include workshops, seminars, conferences, leadership development initiatives and specialised training programmes linked to practitioner classifications and professional designations.
The membership rollout is expected to occur in phases over the coming years, beginning with practitioner registration and awareness campaigns before expanding into provincial establishment processes, stakeholder engagement initiatives and local organisational development programmes.
While much of the Association’s provincial and district infrastructure remains under development, THPASA says the current membership drive is intended to provide the foundation upon which future governance structures, practitioner services and professional support programmes will be built.
Building THPASA Together
THPASA has called on Traditional Health Practitioners, students, mentors, Indigenous Knowledge custodians, community leaders, training institutions, researchers and sector stakeholders to participate in the membership rollout and contribute to the establishment of a representative national professional body for the sector.
The Association says its long-term objective is not simply to create a membership database, but to build an inclusive organisational platform through which practitioners from every province, district, metropolitan municipality and local municipality can participate in shaping the future of Traditional Health Practice in South Africa.
“As THPASA grows, we want every practitioner to know that this Association belongs to the profession itself. Whether you are an Abelaphi Bendabuko, isangoma, inyanga, ngaka, kruiedokter, herbalist, student practitioner or custodian of Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems, your voice matters and your experience is important to the future of our sector,” said Calvert.
The Association has encouraged practitioners and stakeholders who wish to establish local practitioner forums, support provincial structures, participate in Training, Education and Research (TER) initiatives, contribute to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes, or explore institutional partnerships to engage directly with THPASA.
Membership enquiries, stakeholder engagement proposals, partnership discussions and organisational development enquiries may be directed to the National Administration and Secretariat through the Association’s official communication channels.
THPASA says the success of the initiative will depend on collective participation and cooperation across South Africa’s diverse healing traditions and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
“Our vision is to ensure that the voice of Traditional Health Practitioners is not fragmented across hundreds of communities and organisations, but strengthened through a professional institution that is representative, ethical, accountable and rooted in the knowledge systems of our people. Building that future requires all of us,” Calvert said.
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