Johannesburg - According to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Thembi Nkadimeng, today he will launch the Customary Initiation Act awareness campaign under the ‘Preserving lives, promoting customs’ theme.
According to the department, customary initiation is a deeply rooted cultural practise in South Africa, representing a significant rite of passage signalling a transition to adulthood.
The department further said that it was essential that this tradition be carried out with the utmost care, respect, and adherence to the law, ensuring the safety and well-being of all initiates.
The department further said the primary objective of this campaign is to promote awareness, education, and compliance with the Customary Initiation Act, which was officially enacted into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2021.
"This initiative is a collaborative effort between the National and Provincial Initiation Oversight Committees, government departments, traditional leaders, and various stakeholders."
"The main purpose of the Act is to protect lives, prevent all forms of abuse that initiates may be subjected to because of unacceptable initiation practises, and regulate initiation by providing for acceptable norms and standards," said the statement.
ActionSA Eastern Cape provincial chairperson, Athol Trollip, last month welcomed the call by the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) for the formalisation and institutionalisation of the initiation process.
Trollip said that the party reiterated its appeal for a collaborative effort between all stakeholders, especially the parents of the initiates, to preserve this sacred cultural practise by preventing the unnecessary loss of life.
“This can only be achieved through the registration and supervision of all initiation schools by Contralesa and in collaboration with the relevant provincial departments and the families of initiates.
“If this is done effectively, there need not be any more loss of life because many areas of the Province carry out this ritual year in and year out without any tragedy,” said Trollip.
He said that his party urged the government of the Eastern Cape, in collaboration with Contralesa, to restore and protect the pride and dignity of the initiation practise by putting every possible measure in place to prevent the existence and operation of unrecognised, “illegal initiation schools” during the ensuing initiation season.
The Star