A survey of medicinal plants sold at muthi markets of northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa was conducted by questioning 63 plant traders to identify unthreatened and threatened plants for cultivation purposes. From a total of 163 plants sold at local markets, 32 are reported based on their inclusion in four categories, namely (1) scarce and not threatened, (2) abundant and not threatened, (3) scarce and threatened and (4) abundant and threatened. Species that were scarce and threatened include Ansellia africana, Bauhinia bowkeri, Encephalartos natalensis, Encephalartos villosus, Eucomis autumnalis, Haworthia limifolia, Huernia hystrix, Mondia whitei and Warburgia salutaris. A workshop was held with plant traders, government officials and researchers at the University of Zululand to disseminate information on the propagation of selected species for conservation purposes. Plant traders undertook to propagate medicinal plants in collaboration with researchers and establish medicinal gardens in communal areas.

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This paper reports the results of the study that investigated the kinds of medicinal plants sold by medicinal plant sellers at bus ranks in northern KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). Among the aims of the research was to explore who the participants in the medicinal plant selling business are. The study also investigated the kinds of species that are harvested, methods of harvesting and what the medicinal plant species are used for. Since medicinal plant sellers use the medicinal plant selling business for their livelihoods, the study also investigated whether conduction of the business was profitable and environmentally sustainable. Data was collected through site visits, structured face-to-face interviews and a workshop. The results showed that the medicinal plant selling business is dominated by poor, elderly black rural women who use unsustainable methods of harvesting and selling. The study also confirmed that Africans still rely heavily on traditional medicine. The use of this type of indigenous knowledge is thriving, but unfortunately the issue of sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants is not considered. For ethical reasons and for promotion of sustainable development of rural communities, the researchers are now working with the medicinal plant sellers in an effort to teach them how to cultivate medicinal plants in their own communities. This would prevent exposing women to collecting plants in dangerous places and also from depleting medicinal plants in their natural environments. This can protect medicinal plants from being harvested to extinction.