DZANANI - The Limpopo province is still shocked after the death of the President of the Congress of Traditional healers in South Africa, Mr Takalani Johannes Mathivha, who died after a long illness last weekend.

Mr Mathivha, who was popularly known as "professor," played a major role in extinguishing the mysterious fire that burnt the Makongoza family last year. He was also involved in the search for the International Pentacostal Church member, Mr Frans Mahani, who disappeared two years ago.

Mathivha struggled for the unification of the traditional healers and modern doctors in South Africa.

In his struggle to fight HIV/Aids, Mathivha met with many professors in the University of Venda and other overseas universities.

Mathivha was a man who believed that his traditional herbs could boost the immune system of Aids suffers.

In 1991, about 12 associations of traditional healers united, to form the Council of Traditional Healers in South Africa. In February 2001, the Forum of Traditional healers elected the members in Pretoria to represent traditional healers in each province.

The function of those members was to inform a legal unit of the Department of Health to process the bill in Parliament.

Mathivha was one of the great traditional healers in the Venda area and he was kin to the late Paramount chief / President Patrick Mphephu during the Bantustan.

Recently, the National Minister of Health and Welfare Manto Chabalala-Msimang agreed with the traditional healers that their herbs are very important in the stabilisation of Aids virus.

Mathivha's last plea was that the government should speed up the legislation on traditional healers.

The President of Mbofho Traditional healers, Mr Mmbulaheni Neluvhola, said Mathivha's death is a great loss to South African traditional healers. He will be laid to rest at Mamvuka on 22 November, 2003.