Limpopo initiation school season well underway

The Limpopo initiation school period is well underway and forms part of honouring traditional customs and values by transforming a boy into a man and a girl into a woman.

The programme started on June 16 and will run until July 15. It gives young men and women an opportunity to learn about societal norms, values, traditional beliefs and customs.

The MEC of Co-Operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Basikopo Makamu, recently hosted a state of readiness media briefing to address the season and said the province saw a decline in the number of initiates this year.

“The number of initiation school applications received declined from 680 last year to 644 this year. A total of 587 schools have been approved of which 328 are male and 259 are female,” Makamu said.

Sekhukhune district leads with 285 approved initiation schools followed by the Capricorn district with 127 while Waterberg (84), Mopani (51) and Vhembe (40) districts make up the rest.

In ensuring the safety of the initiates and the smooth operation of the schools, Coghsta, the Department of Health, Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders and other stakeholders hosted a workshop with traditional leaders and permit holders in preparation for the season.

According to Section 2(1) of the Northern Province Circumcision School Act No 6 of 1996:

• No person shall hold an initiation school without a valid permit issued to him/her;
• No traditional surgeon or any other person is allowed to perform rituals in an initiation school without a certificate of fitness issued for that purpose by a registered medical practitioner authorised by the premier or authorised officer to do so in terms of Section 3(1) of the Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003;
• No person below the age of 12 can be admitted to an initiation school in terms of Section 7(1) of the Initiation Schools Regulations of 2003; and
• No person is allowed to abduct another for the purpose of taking the abducted person to an initiation school in terms of Section 9(1) of the Initiation School Regulations of 2003.

Makamu also advised parents to adhere to the age limit of initiation schools and to authenticate the legitimacy of the schools they intend to send their children to with their traditional authorities.

Makamu added that they will also work with law enforcement agencies to prevent any unnecessary loss of life and to also ensure that the rights of the initiates are not violated.

Also read: 11 boys rescued from bogus Gauteng initiation school