New initiation policy frowned upon
THE proposed plan by government to allow women to tend initiates who fall ill at male initiation schools was met with utmost rejection by traditional leaders and cultural purists in the province.
Moyahabo Mabeba
LIMPOPO – THE proposed plan by government to allow women to tend initiates who fall ill at male initiation schools was met with utmost rejection by traditional leaders and cultural purists in the province.
The plan is among proposals made by the department of traditional affairs in its draft Policy on the Customary Practice of Initiation in South Africa, which has been released for public comment.
Other proposals contained in the document are that: women should have the right to decide with a male initiate whether he should be circumcised medically, traditionally or not at all; they must be informed of the well-being of their children during initiation; and, if necessary, they must attend to children who fall sick during initiation.
The move has since been described by the Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) president Kgoshi Setlamorago Thobejane as “arrogance intending to destroy the institution of traditional circumcision”.
“We as Africans of Bapedi descent know that these initiations are different. There are male and female initiation schools. In as much as men cannot go to women initiations, women too cannot go to male initiations. This is just like standard practise that women shouldn’t use toilets meant for men. It is a pity that these days, many people have become authorities in matters they know little of.”
Thobejane said Contralesa was committed to finding solutions and that stakeholders, including government, did not need to be emotional when dealing with initiation.
The draft policy also makes provision for provincial initiation coordinating committees that must have at least two female members.
“The reality is that the roles and rights of women can no longer be ignored,” the document reads.
The mother of an initiate does not stop being the child’s mother during the initiation period and therefore her parental rights should be respected and not be denied unreasonably, especially not in instances where it concerns the health and general well-being of the child,” states the policy.
Thobejane’s sentiments were echoed by provincial chairperson of the House of Traditional Affairs, who said elderly women who presided over female initiations did not allow men anywhere near initiations meant for women.
Prof Luka David Mosoma of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities said the recurring fatalities at initiations can be curbed if there are male nurses on standby at these schools.
“Traditional leaders and owners of initiation schools should ensure that there are guardians who have the required skills of the initiation process,” said Mosoma.
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