Muthi, Medicine, and Witchcraft: Regulating “African Science” in Post-Apartheid South Africa?

Abstract

This paper reflects on two contrasting cultural strategies for supporting the rollout of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART): The Treatment Action Campaign 's Treatment Literacy Programme which seeks to educate people into a conventional scientific understanding of HIV disease and treatment; and a Department of Health Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) video which harnesses putative 'indigenous knowledge ' relating to illness and healing. It points out that the latter strategy risks connecting with fears regarding the 'Af rican science' of witchcraft. This can serve to confuse, rather than clarify, ambiguities concerning the notion of 'cure '. Science education is challenging, but has the potential to empower patients to manage their illness effec tively.