The Congress of Traditional Leaders in South Africa (Contralesa) has expressed concern about risky practices at initiation schools after 21 Limpopo initiates were subjected to botched circumcision procedures.
The incidents happened at two initiation schools at Lesodi and Rantlakane villages in Mapela outside Mokopane last week, prompting their immediate admission to George Masebe Hospital, where they will undergo re-circumcision procedures on Monday.
Despite the provincial department of co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs saying the initiation schools were legal, Contralesa has bemoaned the mushrooming of schools that continue to disobey the cultural rules that govern them.
The department said its monitors discovered that the two initiation schools were experiencing challenges that were delaying progress during the initiation process.
MEC Basikopo Makamu is expected to visit the affected schools this week to hear what transpired.
Contralesa president chief Mathupa Mokoena said the initiation school sector is inundated with bogus operators who put the lives of young initiates in grave danger.
Mokoena said while he could not divulge the nature of the challenges encountered at the affected schools, he insisted that precautionary measures be regularly followed.
“The initiation school is a sacred place that has its own secrets,” he said. “It will be uncultured for me to get into the goings-on of what transpired there. However, I must emphasise that health and safety measures cannot be overlooked. We are calling on traditional leaders and operators of initiation schools to obey the legislation governing these institutions.”
A resident of Mapela bemoaned the escalating number of dubious initiation schools in the area.
Nkholo Lamalo said initiation schools have been turned into moneymaking schemes.
“This rite of passage is dangerous because safety measures are not obeyed,” he said. “I went there in the 1980s when I was still young, when health procedures were frequently overlooked. When I took my two nephews to the same school two years ago, the same health hazard and questionable procedures continued. Initiation schools are just another form of business.”
SowetanLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.