BREAKING NEWS – Uncertainty over 2020 initiation schools programme

The House of Traditional Leaders in Limpopo is expected to meet with Premier Stan Mathabatha, traditional leaders and various stakeholders next week to discuss the 2020 initiation schools season.

Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus is not certain if hosts of young men from various rural villages in the province will take part in this year’s initiation programme scheduled for June.

Chairperson of the house, Kgoshi Malesela Dikgale said the meeting would determine if they should continue or suspend the programme. “We are still accessing the situation but as things stand we might suspend the programme. The Coronavirus has frustrated us. It has affected our plans and preparations for the programme in a bad way. Before we embark on the initiation programme we normally stage workshops in various communities to create awareness about the initiation schools in February, but this year we could not do that because of the virus.”

Dikgale also appealed to all citizens to adhere to the regulations of the lockdown stressing that together they can fight the pandemic. “We are urging members of the community to sanitise, maintain a safe social distance and wash their hands regularly in order to flatten the curve and curb the outbreak of the virus,” Dikgale said.

Story: Herbert Rachuene