Ndebele people welcome back initiates at Isiko Day

MEC Thandi Shongwe, joined by Ikosi Mahlangu and the president of TS Galaxy, Tim Sukazi, welcomed over 20 000 young initiates who successfully completed their ingoma training.

This grand ceremony, which coincided with the annual Ndebele Isiko Day, was held last Sunday for these young boys who had just graduated to young men.

The Ndebele nation celebrates the Isiko Day annually, with the initiation school happening once in four years.

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Welcoming the young initiates, Shongwe said now that they have graduated from being boys to being men, they must always strive to protect women and children and stand up against gender-based violence.
“You survived the cold and harsh weather in the wilderness.

You held your own against all forms of challenges while you were in the mountains. Now that you are back alive and strong, you will need to take charge and lead the campaign against all forms of abuse against women and children. It must be you who protect women. It must be you who teach other men how to treat our women and children. I want to implore you to rise up and take charge of our social ills that we are currently faced with,” said Shongwe.

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Ikosi Mahlangu of the Ndzundza Sozilani clan said that the Isiko Day meant a lot to the Ndebele nation.
“We are a tribe that boasts of its deep tradition and culture.

We are overjoyed that we came together on this day to commemorate and preserve our culture. I am pleased that thousands of our boys who attended the initiation school as young boys, have now matured into respectable men who will serve, defend their community and nation. We are happy that thousands of men went through the culture of initiation and came back. We are, however, equally saddened by the few fatalities we had.”
“Today is a celebration because we brought back responsible men in the community who will be involved in the building and preserving of their culture.

We are delighted that these men will also go to universities to further their studies. Some will be involved in the economic activities and the protection of their their community,” said Mahlangu.