THE Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring safer customary initiation by leading an engagement with Eastern Cape traditional leaders, headmen, and headwomen.
The meeting, held at Old Savoy in Mthatha last weekend, marked the fifth since December 2024 and showcased ongoing collaboration to protect the lives of young initiates while upholding this sacred cultural practice.
A key milestone of the engagement was the collective agreement on a safer customary initiation plan, aimed at eliminating preventable deaths and improving oversight during initiation seasons. Hlabisa commended the proactive stance of traditional leaders, emphasising that their leadership is critical to the successful implementation of safety measures.
“As CoGTA, we are resolute in our commitment to work alongside traditional leaders to preserve our heritage while safeguarding the lives of initiates. Our shared goal is clear: zero deaths in the upcoming winter initiation season,” said Hlabisa.
The meeting addressed pressing challenges, particularly the eradication of illegal initiation schools, which remain a major threat to the safety of initiates. Hlabisa called for stronger enforcement measures and urged traditional leaders to take a front-line role in ensuring that only registered and regulated initiation schools operate within their communities.
With the winter season fast approaching, he called for immediate action to implement the agreed-upon safety plan, stressing that accountability and collective responsibility are key to success. The engagement concluded with a unified commitment from all stakeholders to prioritise the safety of initiates and uphold cultural traditions with dignity and responsibility. He urged everyone present to be committed to their efforts to protect the lives of the initiates.
“We must all stand together and say no more deaths. Our culture is a source of pride, and we have a duty to pass it on safely from one generation to the next.”
