- Battle lines have been drawn between the Western Cape Initiation Forum Council (WCIFC) and the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports (DCAS) after cases were opened against four initiation schools in the province last week.
- On Thursday 16 November, the department announced it had opened four criminal cases against illegal traditional initiation schools in Philippi, Gugulethu, Nyanga and Khayelitsha.
- WCIFC vowed to approach the national offices of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department to interdict DCAS’s decision.
Battle lines have been drawn between the Western Cape Initiation Forum Council (WCIFC) and the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports (DCAS) after cases were opened against four initiation schools in the province last week.
“DCAS knows nothing about traditional initiation. They appointed Chief Molefe from KwaZulu Natal and Chief Joyi from the Eastern Cape (EC) to the Western Cape Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (WCPICC) to monitor us. We told them they can’t appoint a King from KZN to monitor because they don’t practice the ritual in their province. Also, we can’t be led by King from EC because they are failing to uphold it in their province. We believe that the department is setting us up for failure. Every season initiates die in EC,” said WCIFC secretary Sam Mkiwane, adding that they have zero fatalities in the Western Cape.
He vowed to approach the national offices of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department to interdict DCAS’s decision.
On Thursday 16 November, the department announced it had opened four criminal cases against illegal traditional initiation schools in Philippi, Gugulethu, Nyanga and Khayelitsha.
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In a media statement, DCAS minister Anroux Marais accused the schools of “non compliance” with the Customary Initiation Act.
She blamed the schools of giving the Western Cape Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (WCPICC) – a structure established under the Act to coordinate all initiation schools, practices and activities – a cold shoulder.
Marais stated that the WCPICC filed cases against practitioners “who are currently running non-registered schools”.
She said the WCPICC is anticipating the outcome of the police investigation, which will determine the next steps. “WCPICC is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all initiation schools, practices, and activities in the Western Cape Province. Furthermore, the WCPICC has a legal obligation to report the schools for non-compliance with the law to the police…,” said Marais. “The role of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, together with its partners, is to ensure that our young men return from this important rite of passage alive and healthy, while all the important and relevant cultural values are upheld and honoured”.
“We applaud the officials involved in closing these schools for their diligence. The Western Cape is a province of respect for the law. We care about our boys and young men. We will continue to enforce the law very firmly in the interests of our initiates. In our quest to have no deaths of Western Cape young men this initiation season, no illegal customary initiation schools will be allowed to operate,” concluded Marais.
She stated that the department is unable to provide the number of initiates affected at this time since the schools have not submitted the required documents to register with the WCPICC to operate an initiation school during the season.
However, Mkiwane accused the department of clutching on the straws, disrespecting and undermining the tradition. and or opening cases against the old tradition. He declared that they would not submit the registration forms to the department.
Philippi-East Police Station spokesperson Capt Genville Meyer said there is no case opened at the station.
Lingelethu-West Police Station spokesperson Sgt Xoliswa Nyalambisa confirmed that a case of operating a school without being registered has been opened. She said no arrest has been made yet. “The initiation school is not yet officially closed. And the number of initiates in the initiation school is unknown at this stage,” said Nyalambisa.