Stakeholders commit to work closely to stop illegal initiation schools and death of initiates
CoGTA Minister Zweli Mkhize has called on all parents, traditional leaders and the medical fraternity to work closely to ensure that everything possible was done to stem the killing of young men at illegal initiation schools.
The minister hosted a multi-stakeholder consultative meeting in Durban on 14 January 2019 to discuss and find solution to the death of young boys at initiation schools.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders including Their Majesties, King Zwelonke Sigcau and King Ndamase Ndamase; Eastern Cape COGTA MEC Mr Fikile Xasa; chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders Ikosi Sipho Mahlangu and Provincial House chair Inkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, representatives from the departments of health; police; arts and culture; justice and other senior traditional leaders under the auspices of National House of Traditional Leaders (NHTL) and Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders.
“It is not acceptable that an important tradition such as this leads to deaths. A legislation which is expected to be passed soon will strengthen the hands of government, the community and traditional leaders to end the killings.
“We need to put a stop to these illegal initiation schools and in the new legislation, traditional leaders will be accountable for the deaths in their areas. It is important that traditional leaders work closely with medical doctors so that deaths can be prevented,” said Minister Mkhize.
Minister said the initiation should not happen without the supervision of traditional leaders and medical doctors as it is an important practice to build responsible young men and also play as a tool to train them in other important areas such as respect for women.
Ikosi Mahlangu echoed the sentiment of the minister saying that traditional leaders should play a bigger role going forward as he pledged to work together with the medical staff to stem the tide of the killings.
Meanwhile, the meeting hailed the parents who took a traditional surgeon to court where he was subsequently found guilty for running an illegal school.
Minister Mkhize also decried how the authority of the traditional leaders was being undermined by mushrooming schools with illegal practices. He said that where illegality and criminality had been detected, arrests should follow.
“Traditional leaders must be hands on. If there is a death, there must be consequences – either for negligence or misconduct. That is why we have the Department of Justice and the Police as stakeholders so that consequence management is swift.”
Enquiries:
Musa Zondi - Spokesperson
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