Initiation schools could avoid problems by avoiding commercialisation and keeping strict control, a public hearing on initiation schools heard on Monday.
”We don’t do it for gain. We do it for the pride that’s involved, the spirituality, the richness that’s involved,” said Titus Kgatoke, the secretary of an Ndebele initiation school based in Thembisa, north-east of Johannesburg.
The Ndzundza-Ndebele Ibandla lase Thembisa oversees the rite for about 125 youths every four years and Kgatoke said they all passed through safely.
”We took 125 and we brought back 125,” said Kgatoke.
Kgatoke said he knew of only one initiate death in the past 20 years, that of a youth who fell in a fire during an epileptic seizure.
The hearings, run by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRLC), aim to gather information to enable the commissions to make policy recommendations on making the custom safer.
In July, it was reported that 215 initiates had died and 118 others had full or partial penile amputations in the Eastern Cape alone since 2001.
Kgatoke said his council, which acts for Inkosi Ben Mahlangu, strictly controlled the ingoma, or initiation school.
Overseers are chosen for their maturity, assaults and kidnappings are opposed and a medical doctor examines youths before they start and is then on call 24 hours a day.
”We try to run this as professionally and safely as possible.”
The doctor tests initiates for HIV before starting and advises the council on how to deal with HIV-positive candidates.
”HIV testing in our ingoma is a prerequisite. You need to know your status, it is not negotiable,” said Kgatoke.
Confidentiality is respected.
”The result will be known by the initiate, the parents, and us — the king and the council,” said Kgatoke.
”It is not publicised, we are very strict about that, the other initiates must not know.”
CRLC chairperson Dr Mongezi Guma told the small group at the hearing that the aim was to ensure the safety of the custom, not end it.
”How do we manage and reduce those negative consequences in a way that would allow the culture to thrive?”
Those attending included traditional leaders, traditional healers and officials from the education and social development departments.
Before the hearing, Guma said more community input was needed before any policy recommendations could be made so more hearings would probably be held.
”There are certain gaps that we need to address before we finalise the report,” said Guma.
The hearing continues until Wednesday. — Sapa