Intluzo ikrelekrele, utywala buya emadodeni, kanti ke zona iintsipho ziya ezihagwini. Abafazi ke bona banikwa ivanya. Emva koko amadoda athi kubo “Abafazi phandl’ amadod’ endlwini”.
Thank you Chairperson for the opportunity to address the house on this thorny topic. I feel proud and honoured to be representing thousands of women who, for the longest time, have had little or no voice on matters pertaining to customary initiations or ulwaluko in IsiXhosa. I stand before you Chairperson fully appreciating the fact that I am about to travel on a road which is less travelled by a woman, in particular, a Xhosa woman.
Chairperson, lidlule ixesha lokuba abantu ababhinqileyo bakhutshelwe ngaphandle kuloluko lwabantwana babo. Mandulo, abantu ababhinqileyo babekade bekutshelwa ngaphandle kwizinto ezichaphazela ulwaluko.
Chairperson, firstly, I would like to commend the Customary Initiation Act (No 2 of 2021) for recognising parents as one of the important stakeholders in the customary initiations. Section 22 of the Act gives parents (both fathers and mothers) an active role in the custom. I must say, this is indeed a progressive step. Mandulo, omama babedla ngokubona sekusombiwa idlaka egadini, bengakhange baziswe ngooTata ukuba umkhwetha sele ekwelo yisemkhulu.
Interestingly, Chair, my grandson, Amila, will be one of the boys who will be going to the initiation school this year. I therefore have vested interest on this debate as my prayer is that he should come back home safely and in good health without any complications.
In his report on the outcome of the 2024 Summer Initiation season, COGTA Chairperson lamented the fact that initiation is often devolved to families whilst excluding the traditional leaders. The Chair further argued that traditional leaders must be at the forefront in respect to customary initiations.
Chair, I fully concur with his sentiments, and I believe that relegating traditional leaders into a peripheral role is in contrast to the objectives of the Customary Initiation Act (2 of 2021).
Section 20, sub section 1 of the Customary Initiation Act (2 of 2021) empowers traditional leaders to take overall responsibility for initiation practices, taking place within their respective areas.
Furthermore, section 20, sub section 2 of the Act states that traditional leaders must screen principals, traditional surgeons, care-givers and traditional health practitioners, in accordance with the criteria developed by National House in terms of section 19 sub section 2 (a), and submit a report to the relevant Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC).
The Chairperson of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi – San leaders, Nkosi Gwadiso has, in one of his media interviews, made a call to the traditional leaders to play a significant role as custodians of tradition, culture and customs to monitor customary male initiation in their constituencies.
Traditional leaders are one of the most important stakeholders in the implementation of the Customary Initiation Act, as they are the custodians of the custom. It is therefore based on this background that before any circumcision is performed, a traditional leader must issue a certificate to be taken to medical practitioners.
The forms which are to be duly completed by the traditional leaders also entail the disclosure of all appointed traditional surgeons and care- givers who will be managing the process from the start to the end.
However, there have been instances whereby traditional leaders have been undermined and relegated to being pen pushers who are only expected to sign the prescribed forms without applying their minds. And when the traditional leaders refuse to complete the prescribed forms, some families would then go to the unregistered initiation schools.
The mushrooming of the unregistered initiation schools has to a large extent contributed to the high number of deaths and mutilation of initiates.
For instance, in the report tabled, it was revealed that 11 of the 28 reported deaths in the 2024 summer initiation season were attributed to illegal initiation schools. These 11 deaths which are alleged to have occurred at the illegal initiation schools, would have been prevented if the traditional leaders could have ensured that all initiation schools in their respective areas are registered, flag and report all unregistered schools to the Law Enforcement Agencies. The Act criminalises all circumcisions, which are performed at unregistered initiation schools.
In conclusion, I agree that placing the traditional leaders at the centre of the customary initiations is critically important in curbing the deaths and mutilation of initiates. I also acknowledge that this is a national crisis. As such, all the relevant stakeholders as identified in the Act must join forces and seek lasting solutions to this pandemic. These stakeholders include among others, traditional leaders, principals, care- givers, parents, traditional surgeons, medical practitioners and law enforcement agencies.
Ndiphakamisile, khanibhunge booTata, nibuye nalo.
Enkosi, Ndiyabulela.