MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Lebogang Maile wishes to inform the residents of Gauteng the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) Rights Commission’s suspension of customary initiation has been lifted to coincide with the winter school holidays beginning on June 14.
Over the past years, field experience has shown that many unregistered or illegal initiation schools put children, mainly from working class and poor communities, at risk.
“We have seen a growing number of people parading as legitimate or genuine initiation experts, opening up bogus initiation schools in order to make money, thus putting the lives of young initiates at risk, including premature loss of life,” says Maile.
Municipalities were requested to advise the MEC on their state of readiness.
City of Tshwane, as well as the West Rand Municipality with its local municipalities, have confirmed they have the requisite systems in place to host customary initiation.
CoGTA established a provincial initiation monitoring team to monitor legal initiation schools and close illegal initiation schools.
This team includes CoGTA, the SAPS, Department of Community Safety, Department of Social Development, Department of Health and volunteers from civil society organisations like Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.
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The team is led by Prince George Mahlangu of the Amandebele Ndzundza Sokhulumi traditional community.
The Department of Health will provide health services to initiates, including, but not limited to, pre-admission health screening, providing health services to abused initiates and monitoring the permitted initiation schools.
Maile has also urged our communities, particularly parents, to identify and report illegitimate initiation schools to CoGTA, the Department of Health and the SAPS.
This will avert any loss of life in bogus initiation schools carried out by heartless elements who see this prestigious practice for narrow personal gains and accumulation interests.
“The illegal operation of initiation schools is often associated with abductions, abuse, deaths, amputations and injuries, and these unlawful practices will not be tolerated in Gauteng,” warned Maile
In order to ensure the safety and proper regulation of the customary practice, and in cooperation with the CRL Rights Commission, the Gauteng municipalities are well aware and informed on the conditions under which the municipalities are to host customary initiation.
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These conditions include:
- Ensuring by-laws are in place,
- Identify land where customary initiation can be practised,
- Municipalities must ensure they create a database of initiation schools operating within their areas of jurisdiction,
- Regular monitoring reports must be provided to CoGTA during the initiation season,
- Water and sanitation must be provided at the sites allocated for customary initiation,
- Municipalities are to ensure initiates have access to medical screening before they participate in an initiation school, and
- Municipalities must enhance their application process.
Maile also urged parents to follow the correct processes and procedures to enrol their children permitted initiation schools that have met the requirements issued by a municipality.
“Any child found in an unregistered initiation school will be regarded as abducted and relevant legislation will be enforced.
“The Gauteng Provincial Government expects all municipalities to enforce their by-laws without fear or favour and to protect the sanctity of this cultural practice.
“Law enforcement agencies must act firmly against those breaking the law in exploitation of this practice,” Maile concludes.
