Knowledge and use of traditional medicinal plants by the Setswana-speaking community of Kimberley, Northern Cape of South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The majority of South Africans still depend on the use of traditional remedies, as theseare sometimes the only types of health care systems available, especially within ruralcommunities. South Africa comprises approximately 400 000 traditional healers and anestimated 60 to 80% of individuals consulting such traditional healers. As a result, theover-harvesting of many traditional medicinal plants has become a threat to the country'sspecies diversity and has resulted in the scarcity of certain medicinal plant species.The non-sustainable use of traditional medicinal plants stems from their intenseharvesting from the wild to supply the high demands from urban and rural markets. As aresult of the escalating population growth rate; high rural unemployment; andfundamental value attached to traditional medicinal plants (socio-economic factors), thenational and regional trade of traditional medicines is currently higher than it has everbeen. Another reason for the increased threat to traditional medicinal plants is thedegradation and weakening of customary laws that have previously regulated suchresources.This study focuses on the use of traditional medicinal plants by the Setswana-speakingcommunity for self-medication and as a form of primary health care. Research wasconducted in Kimberley, Northern Cape of South Africa and focuses on the issue of thesustainability of medicinal plant use in the area, specifically on use and users as well asthe acquisition of material sold by a single trader and harvesting techniques. This is todetermine whether harvesting of medicinal plants is a potential threat to plantcommunities in the area. To address the shortcomings of medicinal anthropology thestudy also investigates the impacts of relocation and resettlement of various communitiesin the area, on plant use, methods of collection, the sustainability of the natural resource,as well as the transmission of Setswana indigenous knowledge inter-generationally. most abundant under high disturbances. Certain species reacted positively to disturbanceand were most abundant in disturbed habitats. These included Elephantorrhizaelephantina and a Helichrysum sp.To minimise destructive harvesting in the Kimberley area and to ensure the sustainableharvesting of plant material, it is important that local harvesters are educated on properharvesting techniques and that local gatherers are educated on sustainability issues aswell as other ecologically fundamental issues.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University