Traditional leaders geared to start initiation season
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File picture: AP
Cape Town – The Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) has partnered with NGOs, Right to Care and Society for Family Health, as well as Walter Sisulu University’s health sciences faculty, to make sure that initiates are free from Covid-19 during the expected summer initiation season.
But that’s if the national government, or Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), approves it.
The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport says initiation is still prohibited during lockdown level 1.
Provincial Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais’s spokesperson, Stacy McLean, said they were in communication with initiation forums to do training for cultural practitioners to ensure safety and reduce infections, while draft Covid-19 initiation protocols have been compiled.
“However, no decision to reopen initiation schools has been taken in the Western Cape as yet. These will include, among others, the registration and accreditation of all initiation schools and ensuring that they comply with health protocols.
’’These draft protocols will be consulted with the Initiation Forums, as well as the Department of Health and other departments in the Provincial Initiation Co-ordination Committee,” said McLean.
“There will be a different approach which will factor in Covid-19 protocols, including social distancing, sanitation measures and general hygiene, wearing of masks and so forth. We will be informed by any further directions depending on the lockdown level.
“Currently, at lockdown level 1, initiation is prohibited,” said McLean.
The winter initiation season was halted amid fears that Covid-19 regulations would not be adhered to.
Chief Langa Mavuso, acting chairperson of the ECHTL, told the Cape Times that the consultations to kick-start the summer initiation season in December were under way.
“We have made the proposal, which we will table to the national Minister of Cogta, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, so that the summer initiation can take place. We are expecting her at the OR Tambo region (Eastern Cape) this week for a go-ahead.
“The initiation season needs to go on this summer. It’s not for traditional leaders or government to deny people that constitutional right.
“Ours is to regulate the initiation rite for the safety of initiates,” said Mavuso.
Numerous requests for comment from Cogta went unanswered.
The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Controlesa), meanwhile, has remained adamant that the season will go ahead.
Controlesa general-secretary Zolani Mkiva said they were ready to apply strict guidelines and regulations.
“There are stringent guidelines and regulations that we will put in place while we understand that the virus is still with us,” he said.
Cape Times