The Western Cape Department of
Cultural Affairs and Sport today launched its initiation season plan.
In the last five years an estimated
313 initiates have died and around 1 865 have been injured due to
initiation rituals gone wrong.
MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said the role
of the provincial government is to provide the support needed to ensure that
initiation schools are a safe place for all.
Mbombo said the death of young
people during this time is a national crisis.
The provincial government developed an Initiation Framework and Protcol
in 2011 which is in three languages to address some of the challenges.
“We believe that this protocol has
allowed us to keep many young men through initiation safe and this is reflected
by the low fatality rate in the province.
Meanwhile the department says that
the challenges associated with initiation require national legislation or
regulations to be enacted to tackle it more effectively through the power of
hard law rather than soft law like policy.
MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said the
department ensures that appropriate systems are in place to mitigate possible
risks related to the initiation season.
Mbombo said in terms of the summer
season we have done the preparations and we have trained 118 cultural
practitioners who consist of four traditional surgeons and 114 carers.
“There are a total of 30 initiation
forums that have been established within sites where sites are present, we have
engaged with 14 municipalities to sensitize them to the practice within the
municipal boarders” Mbombo added.
The department has also allocated
medical officers for Eden Central
Karoo , Cape Winelands
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