The MIS was adopted by the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders to ensure the safe passage of young boys to manhood. The teams are supported by traditional leaders, officials from the Departments of Education and Health, district and local municipalities, volunteers from communities and members of the South African Police Service. Our theme for this year is “Mabaye bephilile, babuye bonke bephilile” (ensuring safe passage to manhood).
The monitoring teams will amongst other things ensure the following:
- Strengthening Traditional Initiation Forums (TIF) to eliminate illegal initiation schools.
- Raising community awareness about the work of syndicates who scout young boys to make huge profits at the expense of their health and safety.
- Ensuring that traditional huts are built properly for the safety of the initiates.
- Enforcing the law to prevent mistreatment of initiates including use of drugs at the schools.
- Providing hands on support to the TIF through visits to the schools and effect rescue missions and make the necessary referrals to hospitals.
We invite our communities to reclaim their traditional role as custodians of male initiation process for the sake of the safe passage of our young boys to manhood. Working together to create better and safer initiation schools for our boys.
For more information and interviews please contact:
M Ngam
Cell: 071 685 7981
W Jack
Cell: 082 559 6183
