Hj2 THE MEDICINE MAN IN NATAL AND ZULULAND. 



is a guarantee of efficiency, and secures him a certain measure 

 (-'f immunity when a charge of culpable homicide is laid against 

 him, may be contradicted. The mere fact that a man has taken 

 out a herbalist's licence is no protection in such cases, which 

 are, t)f course, governed by the ordinary principles of law appli- 

 cable tb.ereto : but it is often a matter of great difficulty for the 

 Crown to prove the case. There have, however, been a number 

 of convictions for culpable homicide where death has resulted 

 from the improper or careless administration of Native medi- 

 cines : and even where a prosecution may fail, a good result has 

 been obtained in teaching these men to desist from the use of 

 certain drugs or plants, of the properties of which they know 

 little or nothing. 



The medicine man is common to all parts of South Africa, 

 but reference to him will he confined to Natal and Zululand, 

 where his office is to some extent regulated by special legislation. 

 In the other Provinces he is, I understand, untrammelled by 

 official recognition, unless he trespasses within the prohibited 

 regions of witchcralft. 



The Natal Native Code of 1891 deals with medicine men 

 and herbalists, who are known respectively as izinyanga zokum 

 Lapa— those skilled in healing — and i:;inyanga ze mlti — herbal- 

 ists. The office may be held by both men and women, but it is 

 seldom that the latter make any attempt to follow the profession 

 except as midwives. Women diviners are common, notwith- 

 standing the stringent penalties attaching to the practice of this 

 art, and some of them claim to heal by divination or otherwise 

 — 'but the ordinary lady doctor is scarcely known. In revising 

 and amplifying the old Native Code of 1878, and substituting 

 therefore the Code of 1891, it was considered desirable to place 

 restrictions on the indiscriminate practice of medicine by Natives 

 in Natal, and with this object it was declared illegal for any man 

 or woman to practise his or her calling for hire unless duly 

 licensed by the Magistrate. Women, however, who act as mid- 

 wives only are not required to be so licensed. Before obtaining 

 a licence, the applicant must be recommended by his chief, or 

 the chief of the tribe in which he seeks to practice, and no other 

 formality is necessary. The Magistrate may, of course, (for 

 sufficient reasons, refuse to grant the licence, and this has been 

 held to be an administrative act not subject to a judicial appeal. 

 It is infrequent that any applicant is refused a licence, but the 

 Magistrate would exercise his discretion in the case of a man 

 whom he has occasion to believe is undesirable, whether by 

 reason of a reputation for being a witch-doctor, or Ifor any other 

 sufficient reason. No form of qualification is required ; no 

 inquiry is made as to any previously acquired knowledge of 

 herbs or the treatment of disease ; the law is complied with if 

 the approval of the chief is given, and there is no obligation on 

 the latter to satisfy himself as to the applicant's competency. 

 The amount of the licence is £3, and it must be renewed annually 

 by a like payment. The holder may thereafter practice in any 



