The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensuring safer customary initiations.
The Minister led a productive engagement with Eastern Cape traditional leaders at the weekend. The gathering was the fifth since December 2024, showcasing the ongoing collaboration to protect the lives of young initiates while upholding this sacred cultural practice.
In December last year, Hlabisa conducted an emergency oversight visit to the Eastern Cape, where 28 young initiates tragically lost their lives during the summer initiation season.
According to the Department of CoGTA, a key milestone of the engagement was the collective agreement on a safer customary initiation plan.
The plan is 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 successfully implementing safety measures.
“As COGTA, we stand firm in our resolve 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.
This meeting addressed pressing challenges, particularly the eradication of illegal initiation schools, which remain a major threat to initiate safety.
Hlabisa called for stronger enforcement measures and urged traditional leaders to take a frontline role in ensuring that only registered and regulated initiation schools operate within their communities.
With the winter season fast approaching, the Minister 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.
The Minister urged everyone present to commit 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,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za
