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Initiates walking.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has committed to deploy more resources in the Eastern Cape to prevent the death of initiates in the province.
Hlabisa made the commitment during a meeting with provincial traditional leaders in East London.
More than 370 initiates in the Eastern Cape have lost their lives while undergoing the traditional male circumcision since 2016.
During the previous summer initiation season, a total of 28 deaths were recorded.
The OR Tambo District accounts for 142 deaths and 49 amputations followed by Alfred Nzo and the Amathole District respectively. The deaths are mainly due to dehydration, pneumonia and septicemia.
A report shows that from 2016, a total of 110 males had their manhood amputated after botched circumcisions.
Chairperson of the Provincial Initiation Coordination Committee, Chief Gwadlinamba Mathanzima says government must provide adequate resources for monitoring initiation schools.
“One of the things we can do is to encourage our government that our forums and stakeholders are empowered in terms of resources and the knowledge as well.”
Meanwhile, the National House of Traditional Leaders Deputy Chair, Chief Langa Mavuso believes that parents must also take responsibility for the deaths of their children.
“Any person who is a male who has signed for child within the Department of Health and a Traditional Council must be held liable and be taken to court with issues of legislation to prevent other deaths.”
Hlabisa says they are targeting zero deaths in the upcoming initiation seasons through co-operation with stakeholders and deployment of resources.
“The government must consider the provision of resources so that monitoring can be effective. The headman and head women who are many in number are not playing their role in monitoring because the resources are very limited. This is one point we will be taking away in all spheres of government to see how we maximize resources and go to zero deaths,”
Hlabisa says they will have further discussions on matters relating to traditional male circumcision in the province next month.
Video: CoGTA Minister meets with EC kings over initiation
