Initiation schools: Commission wants answers on why recommendations haven’t been carried out

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) will on Tuesday meet with authorities in Umtata, Eastern Cape, to discuss why they failed to implement its recommendation to address problems at initiation schools, including the death of initiates.

In 2022, the commission investigated the crisis surrounding the initiation schools, including illegal schools.

Since the report was made public two years ago, about 29 initiates have died in the province. 

Some of those who will attend the event on Tuesday include representatives from the South African Human Rights Commission, Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Koi San Leaders, the municipality and police.   

“The commission conducted a study on the illegal initiation school which focused mainly on the issue of the rite of passage by young men or through a traditional initiation. The study was then conducted in three provinces, that is Eastern Cape, Gauteng, as well as Limpopo,” said Nceba Mrwebo, CGE provincial manager.

“The main focus of the study was to look at the issues that relate to gender equality as to the scourge of death of initiates when they go through the right of passage into initiation school but also focus on the policy gaps that may exist regarding the regulation of the initiation school in the three provinces, as well as establish some of the factors that could pose a challenge.” 

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Mrwebo said the session also seeks to engage the duty bearers that are supposed to protect the rights of particular young boys when they go through the initiation school.

“In this regard, the CGE will then hold this accountability dialogue with the hope of finding lasting solutions in the regulations as well as in the practice of traditional male circumcision.” 

The report found that the government has failed to implement policies to prevent illegal initiation schools from operating. 

When commenting about the state of the initiation schools and the death of the initiates in the province, Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa national chairperson Chief Mathupa Mokoena suggested that the initiation schools should be banned for two years. 

“The idea is to give stakeholders time to come up with a plan to avoid the deaths of initiates. It is embarrassing that in this same province, we are experiencing the same thing every year. We are calling for a two-year moratorium in the province. No one must be allowed to open an initiation school for two years.”

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