Initiation season: ‘Grade 12 pupils should not rush themselves’

The Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders’ Chief Ntsika Joyi is urging all families—both those who will send their boys to undergo traditional circumcision and those who have not—to take steps to protect them during the initiation camp.

This is in light of the winter initiation season that began this year on May 5.

“Yes, the winter initiation has begun, however right now, only those who do not go to school are allowed to go to the initiation camp. We are asking parents to assist,” said Chief Joyi.

Chief Joyi met with AB Xuma Municipal Chiefs in Butterworth and took the opportunity to encourage the people about the initiation tradition.

“We also want to encourage grade 12 pupils who are writing their exams right now not to rush because they want to get circumcised; let them write and finish,” added Chief Joyi.

Initiation deaths are a yearly tragedy in the Eastern Cape caused by a variety of issues. Long-term efforts have been undertaken to address this issue, but there is no obvious way to reduce the number of initiation deaths.

“We ask everyone in all the tribes who practice this traditional circumcision to know that they are responsible for the lives of the boys, let them go there alive and come back alive,” said Chief Joyi.

Protecting the boys has always been a priority for the provincial House of Traditional Chiefs in its efforts to preserve the custom of circumcision.

“Everyone should take into account everything that should be considered, but now men should be actively involved in preserving this tradition,” said Chief Joyi.

He called the deaths of the Eastern Cape initiates a disgrace to the circumcision tradition and the Xhosa culture in general. In some places, such as OR Tambo, initiate deaths have been common.

During the winter initiation season last year, 34 initiates died in the Eastern Cape. Opposition organisations like Action South Africa strongly condemned this as a result.

Athol Trollip, the leader of this organisation in the Eastern Cape, believes that much can be done to make this tradition safer.

“We respect the customs of different tribes, but we are worried. The death rate of initiates at the initiation camp also worries us,” added Trollip.

The Eastern Cape government has invested a significant amount of money, which has been used in many different ways, to prevent initiation deaths. Every year, 4×4 bakkies are hired in an effort to motivate traditional nurses, government officials, Chiefs, and all other parties involved to operate effectively.

For the Xhosa and other tribes, the traditional circumcision is one of the most significant rites of passage that helps the boy child transition from childhood to adulthood (manhood).

The National House of Traditional Leaders visits several provinces in an effort to communicate with the Chiefs about a variety of concerns.

“We are travelling around the provinces trying to enlighten Chiefs on various issues; we have already visited other provinces,” said Chief Ntsika Joyi.