Mr Azwinndini Mahada, a representative of the Traditional Healers Association, denied allegations that traditional healers are the main driving force behind ritual murders in the district.
Mahada spoke out at the Vhembe District Municipality's imbizo, which was held at Khubvi village on Wednesday, 1 June, also saying that not all traditional healers in the district were members of the Traditional Healers Association.
"I put it categorically clear when I addressed the district on our grievances, that the municipality should help us to preserve the indigenous trees we get our medicines from. We don't use human tissue as we don't believe that it works," he said.
When he was asked why traditional healers in the district, such as Mr Edward Mandandaze (sentenced in 1993) and Mr Dzholi Dzebu (sentenced in 2006), had been convicted for ritual murders, he took a long breath before he replied: "The people you mentioned were not members of the association. We hold conferences on a regular basis to address such issues. Our ancestors left us indigenous trees and blessed us with the knowledge on how to use them."
Mahada is known for working with bees at his traditional surgery. When asked how the bees helped him with healing the sick, he explained that he was a member of the Vhambedzi clan, who used all kinds of insects and wild animals, such as pythons, to diagnose and cure ailments. "My ancestors gave me bees to help me when I work. If a person starts to behave violently inside my surgery, they [the bees] attack on the spot," he added.
Mahada is also an artist who has already recorded four albums to date. His music is well received by the community. In 2018, one of his songs, called Ani fushei ngani, won him the best Tshivenda Indigenous Song award at the Tshivenda Music Awards.