Bogus leaders scupper age-old tradition of initiation

With the death toll during the summer initiation season rising to 28 in the Eastern Cape, the infiltration of bogus traditional leaders at initiation schools can be linked to the incidences, according to a traditional health practitioner.

Authorities confirmed the loss of lives during the rite of passage. Early this month, four brothers were shot at an initiation school in Ngcwazi A/A Mntla location in the Eastern Cape. Three of them died.

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Ephraim Mabena, founder of Mothong African Heritage Trust foundation and also a traditional doctor, said the number of sources about initiation schools was decreasing.

“Most of those who have knowledge about initiation schools are elders and a dying breed. “These cultural practices are now being taken over by people who do not have full knowledge about these practices,” Mabena said.

“Nowadays, whether you are a traditional healer or running an initiation school, it is no longer about the knowledge, but more about money. “Some of them are not even fully trained and that is why the death toll is increasing.”

Mabena said it was not easy to run initiation schools. “You do not just decide to run any school. The elders will tell you that you should be of a certain age. It is a deep knowledge that is being handed over to you by the elders,” he said.

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“There are dos and don’ts. They are elders who are informed and know about the anatomy and the sensitive part of the body.

“Before you execute such a job, you should be well trained and you should perform a certain ritual because it is sensitive.

“It is not only about circumcision. Initiates do not stay in the mountain just for fun. They are being taught how to handle their communities, family and how do you take care of yourself.

“But some of these people who are running these schools are ill-disciplined and uninformed,” Mabena said.

Prof David Mosoma, chair of the commission for the promotion and protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities, called for law enforcement agencies to investigate and hold those responsible for the deaths at the initiation schools in the Eastern Cape.

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Mosama said there was a crisis of accountability and disregard of the rule of law, which brought into disrepute the cultural practice of initiation in the province.

“Prior to the winter initiation season this year, the commission convened an indaba, where the relevant stakeholders were in attendance.

“Far-reaching resolutions were taken to curb and end the deaths of the initiates, based on the principle of zero deaths.

“Unfortunately nothing significant has changed because strategy after strategy has not moved the spike of deaths to zero,” he said.

Mosoma added the deaths reflected the lack of empathy on the part of the leaders for the humanity of the initiates.

In order to exercise the rule of law, Mabena said it was important there was collaborate and collective work between the police, health department and the elders.

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He said it was necessary these people started working together in order to root out the ill-practices which were currently taking place.

“And that is why some initiation school have said that they are happy to work with the police and the working together should be through the permission of the elders who were the knowledge holders,” Mabena said.

“Working hand in glove with the law and other stakeholders is very important.”