Abelaphi bendabuko baseNingizimu ne-Afrika ngabelaphi bendabuko e-Afrika eseNingizimu ye-Afrika. Bafeza izindima ezahlukahlukene zenhlalo nezombusazwe emphakathini, kufaka phakathi ukubhula, ukuphulukisa ukugula ngokomzimba, ngokomzwelo nangokomoya, ukuqondisa amasiko okuzalwa noma okufa, ukuthola izinkomo ezilahlekile, ukuvikela amaqhawe, ukulwa nobuthakathi, nokulandisa umlando, i-cosmology, nemibono yesiko labo . Kunezinhlobo ezimbili eziyinhloko zabelaphi bendabuko emiphakathini yamaNguni, iSotho-Tswana, kanye namaTsonga aseNingizimu ye-Afrika: umbhuli (isangoma), kanye nomelaphi (inyanga). Laba belaphi bangabenzi bemilingo baseNingizimu Afrika abahlonishwa kakhulu futhi abahlonishwayo emphakathini lapho kucatshangwa ukuthi ukugula kubangelwa ubuthakathi, ukungcola (ukuxhumana nezinto ezingcolile noma okwenzekayo) noma ngokunganaki okhokho. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi kunabelaphi bendabuko abangaba ngu-200 000 eNingizimu Afrika uma kuqhathaniswa nodokotela abangama-25,000 abaqeqeshwe emithini yokwelapha ngamakhemikhali (bio-medical medicine) .Abelaphi bendabuko kuxoxiswana nabo cishe ngama-60% abantu baseNingizimu Afrika, imvamisa behlangana nezinsizakalo zesimanje zezokwelapha.