Eastern Cape initiations may be frozen until next winter

Some 60,000 boys hoping to undergo initiation rites this year may have to wait until 2021 as the Eastern Cape government is considering scrapping the winter and summer seasons over coronavirus fears.

Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane said on Wednesday that while nothing was set in stone, the proposal was being considered.  

“This is aimed at preventing transmission of the virus and saving lives,” he said.

Mabuyane believes the 21-day lockdown might not be enough, and during a virtual press briefing yesterday said he would soon lobby national government to consider the possibility of enforcing a total shutdown in the province to stop the spread of the coronavirus, especially in the rural areas.

“We have had discussions around how we are dealing with the winter and summer traditional circumcision seasons. Our view is that we must also suspend the winter and summer seasons. The 21 days is not going to eradicate Covid-19 — it will remain with us for some time,” Mabuyane said.

“This issue of boys dying in initiation schools is part of gender-based violence — it’s men who are careless about the life of young people. We cannot allow it to go on. We are putting a stop to it. We have got to work together with traditional leaders.

“We are appealing to everyone to know that it is about protecting people’s lives, not us being selfish. For now let us protect these boys so that they are not infected,” he said.

Last month, the Eastern Cape government suspended all circumcision-related ceremonies for  March and April.

The National House of Traditional Leaders has meanwhile proposed a blanket ban on initiation for the year, a proposal all provinces aside from the Eastern Cape have supported.

Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, provincial chair of both the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and Contralesa, said the issue was first raised during a meeting of chairs of the provincial houses in December.

“As the Eastern Cape we did not commit ourselves before extensively consulting with all kings, other traditional leaders, nations and tribes on the matter. We found it necessary that we embark on a consultation process,” he said.

“I have consulted with the premier and we all agree that is absolutely necessary. Everybody can embrace the decision and assist in enforcing and implementing it. The custom belongs to the families and tribes.”

Nonkonyana recently convened a series of teleconferences with kings, executive members of the ECHTL, Contralesa, local houses of traditional leaders and district initiation forums.

“They all agreed to embark on a 10-day extensive consultation from Wednesday April 9 to engage with traditional surgeons, traditional healers and others. This is a very serious and sensitive issue,” he said.

Nonkonyana is expected to get feedback from all the structures by April 17. A report on their final position will be submitted to the provincial government at the end of April.

“The government is inclined to say that we should not have initiation in 2020, but as the house we are unable to support that without proper consultation with communities concerned,” he said.

“The other reason we want a consultation process is because of the sacredness of the custom. If we all decide to suspend it, the decision must be embraced by all our communities so that people do not embark on illegal initiations.”

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