Initiate safety: Minister Gordhan should prioritise national legislation to end deaths of young men
2 December 2015
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is pleased that no deaths have been reported a week into summer initiations. We urge all stakeholders to ensure that the young men who participate in this cultural right are not harmed in any way.
It is imperative that parents, communities, traditional leaders and the South African Police Service (SAPS) play their part to ensure the safety of all initiates during this season, through health education, awareness, oversight and penalties for negligence.
The DA is encouraged by measures to increase awareness and monitoring of initiation practices and calls on the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Pravin Gordhan, to prioritise developing national legislation on initiation in 2016, following the publication of a draft policy on initiations in June this year.
Already in 2010 a report by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) recommended, following public hearings, that there should be standard national cultural initiation legislation governing, amongst other things, health related issues, minimum standards and consent.
In November this year Minister Gordhan indicated in a parliamentary reply that a particular challenge was the illegal initiation schools that “mushroom everywhere and are operating clandestinely.”
Fake and illegal practitioners with no qualifications are opportunistically stealing the sacred and ritual practice for monetary and selfish gain. It is of utmost importance that government acts decisively in mitigating deaths that happen at initiation schools, by shutting down illegal schools and prosecuting illegal initiation practitioners.
We call on SAPS to work closely with the national and provincial task teams to ensure the safety of all initiates and to arrest those responsible for setting-up illegal schools.
The Western Cape has managed to curb initiate deaths and ensure the safety of initiates with great success. It was the first provincial government to develop an Initiation Framework and Protocol document and create initiation forums across the province. Initiation practitioners in the province are encouraged to follow the prescripts of the Initiation Framework and Protocol document, especially the criteria for traditional surgeons and the minimum requirements for the three phases of initiation: pre-, during and post. This has resulted in zero deaths and zero hospitalisation for the winter initiation season, ensuring that people practice their culture in a safe and conducive environment.
As thousands of young South African males undergo traditional initiation ceremonies this summer, we must all ensure the safety of our children.
Issued by Nqhaba Bhanga, Deputy Shadow Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs, DA, 2 December 2015
