Muti – Traditional Medicines of South Africa

In the heart of South Africa, where ancient wisdom dances alongside modern life, Black African communities embrace a dual dance of healing. They turn to Western doctors for some woes and trusted traditional healers for others — neither seen as inferior, but each with its sacred place in their journey to wellness.

In remote villages and bushveld homesteads, traditional healers are often the first and only helpers when illness strikes. But even in towns and cities, where clinics are easy to reach, people still choose traditional care — sometimes paying hundreds of rands per consultation. In Mpumalanga, for example, a well-known healer in Bushbuckridge has a loyal following in the Eastern Cape; clients pay upfront into his account, and then he travels to them, treating them with deep personal care.

What draws so many? It’s not just about fixing a symptom — it’s about feeling truly whole. Many people say traditional healing is more holistic than Western medicine. The healer doesn’t just treat the body; they listen for what’s going on in the spirit and the mind. Rituals that honour the ancestors, divination to uncover hidden causes, and powerful plant medicines are all woven together. This mind-body-spirit approach is cherished because it deals with both the surface illness and its deeper roots.

Healing with horn, skin, and bone

Animal parts play a vital role in many traditional medicines. Skin, bones, fat, horns, claws, and even shells are used, not just as medicine, but as symbols of strength, protection, and connection to the ancestors. In many communities, leopard, lion, elephant, rhino, crocodile, porcupine, and various snakes and birds are known for their healing properties when used correctly.

For example, leopard or lion skin isn’t only worn for ceremony; pieces of it, or their bones, are used in medicines believed to bring courage, authority, and protection. Elephant and rhino parts are also used in some preparations, thought to strengthen the body and spirit. Warthog, crocodile, baboon, porcupine, and monitor lizard products — like skin strips, bones, and fat — are widely found in traditional medicine markets and are used for a range of ailments and spiritual purposes.

These animal gifts are often seen as especially powerful because they come from creatures that are strong, clever, or fierce. When ethically and sustainably sourced, they form part of a living tradition that respects both nature and the ancestors.

A living, balanced way of healing

For many, this blend of plant and animal medicines with ritual and ancestor work is not “alternative” — it’s how wellness is understood. It’s normal to visit a clinic for a fever, but to also see a healer for a persistent problem, a family crisis, or to restore balance after a loss. When a healer combines herbs, animal parts, prayers, and rituals, people feel that both the symptom and its hidden cause are being addressed.

So, in the warm light of a clay pot fire, or under the bright sun of a healing yard, traditional medicine lives on — not as a poor substitute, but as a respected, rich, and deeply personal path to health. It’s a story of resilience, of wisdom passed down, and of a people who choose both the clinic and the sangoma not because they must, but because both ways belong to their idea of healing.

Muti is far more than just “bark and herbs” — it’s a vast cultural and economic system that, if supported properly, could create jobs, boost rural incomes, and even become a serious export industry.

Size and scale markets

The traditional medicine market (often called “muti”) in South Africa is estimated to be worth around R2.9 billion per year based on detailed economic studies, and this sector is much larger if you include broader herbal and natural products used in African traditional healing.[1][2]

Financial Mail notes that about 27 million South Africans regularly use traditional medicine, making it one of the biggest health systems in the country, alongside public clinics and private healthcare.

Some reports cited by FM and others suggest that, when you include all herbal and natural products sold in shops and pharmacies, the total value could be at least R20 billion per year and rising.

About 133 000 people earn an income from this sector, including traditional healers, collectors who harvest plants, traders, and small vendors in muti shops or roadside markets.

Recent estimates (broader herbal/natural products)

More recent market reports (2020s) look at the broader herbal medicine and supplements sector, which includes many products used in African traditional medicine:

– The South African herbal medicine market generated about USD 1.44 billion in revenue in 2023, and is projected to grow strongly to about USD 6 billion by 2030.
– Separate data on herbal supplements in South Africa values that segment at about USD 34 million (around R600 million) in 2023, expected to grow to USD 56 million (about R1 billion) by 2030.

These figures cover both African traditional herbal products and other natural remedies sold in shops, pharmacies, and online.[3][4]

What “muti” includes in this valuation

In South African context, the “muti”/traditional medicine market typically includes:

– Raw plant materials sold in muthi shops, street markets, and rural gathering points (roots, bark, leaves, herbs).[2][1]
– Prescribed remedies prepared by traditional healers (amagqirha, sangomas, inyanga) for spiritual, physical, and social issues.[1][2]
– Dried animals, bones, and horns used in some traditional practices, though these are smaller in value compared to plant-based products.[2][1]
– Commercial herbal products labelled as “traditional”, “African herbal”, or “natural remedies” in pharmacies and supermarkets.[4][3]

Key limitations

– The R2.9 billion figure is from around 2006 and has not been officially updated with a new national survey, so the current cash value is higher but not precisely known.
– A large portion of the trade is informal and unrecorded, so official statistics significantly understate the real economic and social value.
– The modern herbal and supplement market is growing fast, but regulators and researchers still struggle to separate “traditional muti” from general wellness herbal products.

Government and new opportunities

Financial Mail has covered government moves to bring traditional medicine into the formal economy, such as the 2025 initiative where the Minister for Small Business said SA’s traditional medicinal plants and products are worth about R3 billion annually, and that unlocking this sector could add up to R12 billion when combined with other indigenous crops.

FM frames this as a missed opportunity for decades, with traditional healers and harvesters operating in the “economic shadows” without proper recognition or support.
The paper points out that:
• There’s growing local and international demand for proven, high‑quality herbal products, but most of the supply chain is still informal and unregulated.
• Big investment is needed in research, cultivation (to reduce over‑harvesting), and proper certification so that South African muti can compete in formal markets at home and abroad.

In practical terms, the traditional muti economy in South Africa is worth at least several billion rands per year, and when combined with the broader herbal/natural products market it likely exceeds R20 billion, but there is no single, up‑to‑date official figure for 2026.

 

 

Sources
Bio prospecting Economy — http://www.dffe.gov.za/bioprospecting-economy[1]
Economics of the Traditional Medicine Trade in South Africa — https://www.hst.org.za/publications/South%20African%20Health%20Reviews/18_SAHR_2006-2007_Section%2013.pdf[2]
South Africa Herbal Medicine Market Size & Outlook, 2030 — https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/herbal-medicine-market/south-africa[3]
South Africa Supplements Market Report — https://www.insights10.com/report/south-africa-supplements-market-report/[4]
Traditional medicines should be equally supported and … — https://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive/campus-news/2021/august/traditional-medicines-should-be-equally-supported-and-fairly-researched[5]
[6] Herbal Medicine Market Size, Share | Forecast Analysis … — https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/herbal-medicine-market-106320
Medicinal plant cultivation for sustainable use and … — http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0038-23532022000400009[7]
Middle East and Africa Herbal Medicinal Products Market … — https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/middle-east-africa-herbal-medicinal-products-pj68e[8]