7 more days in bush
DESPITE the official closing date for the 198 initiation schools in the province as July 20, four schools in the Sekhukhune area have applied for a week's extension to complete certain rituals.
LIMPOPO – DESPITE the official closing date for the 198 initiation schools in the province as July 20, four schools in the Sekhukhune area have applied for a week’s extension to complete certain rituals. In terms of Section 7(3) of Initiation School Regulations of 2003, initiates must be back in school no later than five days after the start of the official school term.
The leader of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders, chief Malesela Dikgale on Monday confirmed the requests for extended initiation. He confirmed that this year, 19 800 boys were circumcised, while 11 000 underwent the rite of passage ritual from boyhood to manhood in the Sekhukhune area alone.
According to Dikgale, the requests for extended initiaton is a clear breach of the regulations. “An extension of this nature shows that some traditional leaders and surgeons in the area don’t comply with the rules. To allow this will disrupt the programme of the education department.”
Meanwhile in Davhana near Elim, CV spoke to satisfied parent Duncan Mufamadi of Davhana village, who said he was impressed with the way things were done by surgeon Itani Nemavhulani at the initiation school. “I took two weeks’ leave to go and see for myself how the school was being run. I salute the surgeon, he knows his job. My two boys, Vusani Mufamadi and Tebogo Mutavhatsindi from Soweto are happy to be home again,” said Mufamadi.
Chief Mahandana Mabidi of the Mabidi community said he was happy to have experienced a no-fatality initiation season in the Vhembe district and that it could be ascribed to a competent surgeon. “I can’t allow bogus surgeons to risk our boys’ lives. We must respect our culture and tradition. Parents, especially mothers should follow the instructions given by the surgeon,” he advised. (See video below)
During the window period for applications, Limpopo received 253 applications. Of these, 55 were rejected based on traditional leader feuds regarding areas of jurisdiction.
The Working Committee on Initiation Schools received 130 applications from Sekhukhune, approving 77, Mopani 33, Capricorn 11, Vhembe 24 and Waterberg 53. Two initiates died in the Sekhukhune area and another in the Waterberg district. Meanwhile, senior communications manager at the education department, Dr Naledzani Rasila confirmed that an extention of the initiation period deadline would affect the education programme in schools.
“When they opened their initiation schools on June 19, they said agreed to July 20 as the closing date.
“Curriculum advisors and educators in the Sekhukhune area should have a plan for those boys who are still in the bush to catch up on lost time,” he said.
