Eastern Cape is reviewing Customary Initiation Bill to curb deaths

Abakhwetha from Jarha village near Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape attend an initiation school that will turn them from boys to men. Ulwaluko is currently suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: Oupa Nkosi

The Eastern Cape Customary Initiation Bill, which was passed in 2016, is being reviewed by the provincial government to close all the loopholes to prevent the deaths and injuries of initiates, and to ensure compliance by traditional surgeons.

According to the provincial department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, the law has failed to meet the promises to curb illegal initiations and the resultant deaths of initiates at the hands of unscrupulous traditional surgeons.

Initiates still die during every initiation season.

In 2017, 14 died during the winter season, while 17 deaths were recorded in the summer. In 2018, 23 and 21 initiates died during the winter and summer seasons, respectively. During the 2019 winter season, 17 initiates died, and 29 in the summer.

The aim of the review is to close any loopholes that impede the effective execution of the bill to prevent the deaths and injuries of abakhwetha.

The practice of ulwaluko – traditional male circumcision and initiation – is currently suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But, as the winter initiation season approaches, traditional leaders are expected to call for the suspension to be lifted.

If the suspension is not lifted, there are fears there will be a mushrooming of illegal initiation schools in the province. With the tightened bill, traditional leaders and government officials are hoping to curb the avoidable deaths of initiates.

Mamkeli Ngam, spokesperson for the department, said they hoped that, once reviewed, the bill could help in curbing the casualties.

“The draft bill is available [for public comment] and the consultation process will start next month with all stakeholders,” Ngam said.

“The aim of the review is to close any loopholes that impede the effective execution of the bill to prevent the deaths and injuries of abakhwetha [initiates],” he said.

Traditional initiations were suspended in May in an attempt to ensure Covid-19 would not spread.

In December, government temporarily allowed initiations, but the summer season was abruptly shut down two weeks later as stricter regulations were introduced to avoid further deaths. By then, 12 initiates had already died. None of the deaths was related to Covid-19.