The small township of Shayamoya, in Kokstad, yesterday, 7 December was a hive of activity as community members came out in their numbers to welcome back the local young men who had gone for initiation in December. These initiates are constantly under the eye of the local committee known as Indlondlo, which organises and oversees the implementation of the custom of initiation in the Kokstad area.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal, since 2009, has embarked on a major drive to get young males in the province circumcised. This follows a call that was made by His Majesty the King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, in which he called upon all men in the province to get circumcised.
One of the key stakeholders that his Majesty called upon to support this initiative is the institution of traditional leadership in the province. This then has led to amakhosi playing a pivotal role in ensuring that young men from their communities are encouraged to get circumcised.
During the ceremony which was attended by his Majesty the King, the 240 initiates were encouraged by the various speakers, to ensure that they live in a way that upholds good virtues, such as honesty and hard work.
In her address, the MEC for CoGTA Nomusa Dube-Ncube, called upon the initiates to ensure that they work hard in their studies, so that they can empower themselves and their families.
“As initiates you have learned the values that make a person into a man, and we expect you to use these values for the betterment of your community. It is also important that you focus more on education, as we all know that it is one of the most important weapons we have against poverty” said Dube-Ncube.
