Used widely in traditional medicine to treat urinary and pulmonary ailments, fever and disease of stock. Tswana and Sotho use decoctions of the bulb to treat hangovers. Bulbs are used in decoctions which are administered as enemas. These are used to treat lower backache, biliousness, urinary diseases, to help in post-operative recovery, for fevers as well as to assist in the healing of fractures.