Pretoria: Each year, as winter and summer initiation seasons approach across South Africa, thousands of young people prepare for one of the most significant moments of their lives: customary initiation. For generations, this sacred rite of passage has marked the transition from childhood to adulthood, shaping identity, instilling discipline, and reinforcing the cultural fabric of communities across the country.
According to South African Government News Agency, troubling realities have emerged alongside this proud tradition over the years. Each initiation season brings reports of injuries, dehydration, infections, and, in some cases, deaths. These tragedies overshadow what should be a joyful and meaningful time for families welcoming their children back home from initiation schools. Many of these incidents are linked to illegal initiation schools operating without proper oversight, untrained traditional surgeons and caregivers, poor health and sanitation conditions, and the growing commercialisation of what was once a sacred cultural practice.
These challenges have prompted necessary conversations across communities, traditional leadership, and government. The burning question is how this proud, age-old, respected cultural practice has become associated with such preventable tragedies. What must be done to restore its dignity and safety? The government has implemented various interventions to ensure that legal initiation schools comply with applicable regulations, illegal initiation schools are prevented from operating, and authorities are empowered to respond promptly to emerging risks.
The introduction of the Customary Initiation Act (CIA) of 2021 marked an important step in strengthening oversight and accountability. Among others, the far-reaching legislation seeks to regulate initiation schools, improve safety standards, and ensure that those responsible for negligence are held accountable. However, legislation and government alone cannot preserve tradition or protect young lives. As the primary people responsible for their children's safety, health, and emotional well-being, parents and guardians are an integral part of a successful customary initiation process; the sacred rite of passage.
The CIA of 2021 recognises the active role of parents, which includes verifying that initiation schools are properly registered, ensuring that traditional surgeons are trained and recognised, staying informed about the conditions at initiation schools, and engaging traditional leaders when concerns arise. Parental involvement does not weaken tradition; rather, it strengthens it by ensuring that cultural practices continue in a safe and responsible manner.
The establishment of provincial initiation coordinating committees, heightened awareness campaigns, and the deployment of monitoring teams working in collaboration with various stakeholders can ensure safe initiation and help save lives. It is also imperative to strengthen the registration and monitoring of initiation schools, support the training of traditional surgeons and caregivers, and improve coordination between government departments, traditional leadership structures, and health authorities.
The mandatory pre-initiation medical screenings required under the CIA of 2021 seek to prevent deaths and injuries. They are necessary in identifying underlying health issues such as dehydration and chronic medical conditions before initiates embark on the initiation process. Pre-screening initiates often is a life-saving action by acting as a crucial barrier between life and death.
Protecting initiates is a shared responsibility. Communities and families must remain vigilant and informed. They must report illegal initiation schools to authorities. This challenge requires an all-of-government and society approach, hence the need for communities, traditional leaders, health professionals, faith leaders, and organisations to work together.
Customary initiation symbolises identity, unity, and continuity; therefore, the goal is to restore its dignity. Communities must collaborate with the government to strengthen efforts to restore the dignity of customary initiation. By so doing, we can ensure that it remains a proud, safe, and transformative journey into adulthood for generations to come. No family should experience a loss of life because of a botched initiation process. As CoGTA, we are saying, 'One life lost is one too many', hence the clarion call that 'Mabaye Bephila, Babuye Bephila'.