The MEC for Traditional Affairs in the Eastern Cape, Zolile Williams has condemned traditional nurses who deprive initiates water. This comes as dehydration, illegal circumcisions and negligent parents have been reported as some of the contributors to initiate deaths.
Ten initiates have already lost their lives in the Eastern Cape this Summer initiation season.
The OR Tambo District has so far recorded most initiate deaths, and over the past two seasons this was one of the problematic areas, with high initiate death numbers.
Interventions made by government have been met with challenges from both traditional surgeons and nurses. As a way of minimising initiates dying from dehydration, a call has been made to traditional nurses to change some rules.
“It is grossly wrong to deprive kids water, but there’s a limit in how to use water especially in the first week. So we are saying no child must be dehydrated and die because of that because its an unnecessary death of our kids. What we are emphasising is that no child must be dehydrated and that kids must be given water and we are saying that with no fear of contradiction and no trained surgeon will say kids must not drink water for two weeks. They are trained by the Department of Health and they are given empowerment to understand how to use water. Only those thugs and those that are not properly registered will deprive kids water,” Cogta MEC, Zolile Williams elaborates.
Active Role
Traditional leaders in the province are concerned that parents are not playing an active role in the process of initiation. Chairperson for the Buffalo City traditional council, Chief Zwelizolile Toise says the responsibility of the parents should not be shifted to traditional surgeons or nurses.
“No one should take their children to initiation to abandon them. Things like these are caused by parents, because together with government, we are looking at the wellness of initiates here. What we are supposed to do as traditional leaders is to hold campaigns and explain to parents the process of initiation,” says Toise.
While some parents are accused of focusing on homecoming ceremonies than ensuring the safety of their children, Mkhululi Yekani whose child is soon to leave the initiation school says he has been fully involved in his son’s journey.
“I have actually made a lot of compromises. I’ve given up everything in terms of nice life. I’ve given up lots of social life issues like I told myself that this is a life and death issues and I need to be here and give moral support, give support to my kid because it would sound a bit weird that there are a lot of people here that are supposed to support my kids whereas I am not here, I’m busy gallavanting somewhere else. Three weeks can go away for this, you just need to compromise,” says Yekani.
Over 40 initiates lost their lives during the previous summer initiation season in the Eastern Cape province. Reporting by Sidima Mfeku
