Traditional leaders call for fire probe

Urgent action needed as initiate death toll rises

TRADITIONAL leaders in the Eastern Cape have called for a thorough investigation into a Qumbu fire in which five initiates died and more than 20 men, including two traditional nurses, were hospitalised with serious burns.

The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) in the Eastern Cape conveyed their messages of condolences to the families of initiates who died in the initiation hut that went up in flames while they were inside.

Provincial chairman Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana said: “We urge all the parties concerned to investigate the cause of the tragic deaths.”

He said anyone found to have been negligent should be prosecuted.

“We thus call government to establish a tribunal to investigate the cause of the tragic deaths,” said provincial chairman Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana.

“We also call for traditional leaders to establish committees of experienced circumcised men to monitor establishment of the initiation schools and to ensure that initiates are safe at all times.”

Three of the five initiates who died hardly 24 hours after they were circumcised were from one family at Ntabasigogo village in the Sulenkama administrative area near Qumbu.

The death toll in the Eastern Cape has now increased to seven since the start of the winter initiation season, of whom six were from the O R Tambo district.

“We are also concerned that even at the beginning of the winter season we have received bad news that some initiates have died,” said Nonkonyana.

Contralesa also called upon government “to restore full powers to traditional leaders to deal with these ‘ragamuffins’ who are hell-bent on tarnishing the image of our custom”.

“In this regard, traditional courts must be given powers to fine and expel all those who flout customary rules,” said Nonkonyana.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Deputy Minister Obed Bapela and Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa have taken turns visiting the bereaved families and the injured initiates in hospital. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za