Speaker for Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Councillor Sixolile Mehlomakhulu, hosted a prayer day to launch the June initiation season.
The launch was held in Emaxesibeni and was blessed by the presence of Traditional Leaders, initiation forums from all the local municipalities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
It was led under the theme “Mabaye Bephila Babuye Bephila”.
Spokesperson for Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Lixolile Petela, said that Mehlomakhulu had explained that government wanted to call for divine intervention in order to ensure that all the young men who are going to initiation schools across the district, do so in a legal and safe manner to ensure zero deaths during the initiation season.
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“He further alluded that safety of initiates was a responsibility of everyone in society. He explained that everyone had a duty to allow inkosi to lead the preservation of this ancient tradition, as they are the rightful custodians of customs and traditions. During the session, a clarion call was made that all villages must report illegal initiation schools and root out all illegal activities in the initiation schools, in order to ensure that all young men are safe as they go through the rite of passage to manhood.”
According to Petela, there was also a special prayer for various societal challenges, such as crime and substance abuse, gender-based violence, and fire safety in the 2023 winter season.
Chairperson of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leadership, Inkosi Mpumalanga Gwadiso, explained how the colonial enterprise had used the diminishing of culture in order to end African identity. He further took a swipe at those operating illegal initiation schools, and spoiling the age-old initiation custom as people helping the entrenchment of the colonial enterprise by stigmatisation of ulwaluko. Gwadiso condemned the abuse of drugs in initiation schools.
“As iinkosi we applaud Mehlomakhulu for this prayer session. It will further raise awareness on safe initiation in our province,” he said.
