Traditional surgeons’ views on initiation ‘not considered’
There were mixed feelings and heated debate among traditional leaders who participated in the first leg of public hearings into the Customary Initiation Bill at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton on Monday.
The bill, which was introduced in parliament in April, aims to regulate customary initiation practices.
It dictates a minimum age of 16 for initiates and requires traditional surgeons to be registered.
It also provides for the establishment of initiation oversight and national and provincial co-ordinating structures.
Co-operative governance and traditional affairs portfolio committee chair Richard Mdakane said the purpose of the bill was mainly to curb dubious practices which had resulted in the death of initiates.
Some traditional surgeons argued that there had been little or no consultation.
Chief Velile Mfunda said the bill was problematic.
“We must sit down and look at the bill in its entirety so that we can make informed decisions,” Mfunda said.
“We are shocked because we were last year presented with a bill from the province and we also did not accept that one,” he said.
“The bill had a lot of things that need to be corrected, just like this one.”
Michael Kopsani, a traditional surgeon, said: “The bill is confusing. There has been no consultation.
“Last year, we received a bill from the provincial government and when you compare that one with this one, they are not speaking the same language.
“The other big flaw in this bill is that it states a doctor must be present during initiation. That alone is against our custom because once a doctor is present it’s no longer tradition,” he said.
“As far as our custom is concerned, a doctor is not needed.
“In December, I circumcised three doctors’ sons. Their fathers were not there.
“When I finished I called them to have a look. Everything was done 100%.
“If the custom was not important, those doctors would have done it themselves, but because they as doctors have been to the bush they respect the custom.”
Kopsani said some the committee members had not even been to the bush.
“You have a white man, a Zulu man and a woman on there. Not one of them have been to the bush.”
Another traditional surgeon, Mongezi Hoyi, also claimed there had been little consultation.
“We don’t want government to do things alone without consulting us.
“Our worry is that government has already made a decision about our tradition.
“We want to be consulted and be involved,” Hoyi said.
Chief Solomon Dondashe said: “It is good that they have come here because it is a matter that affects us as Xhosa people – it is highly sacred.
“Even before they’ve documented anything, they should have got guidance from us.”
Mdakane said there had been consultations.
“The were consultations conducted by the department when the bill was being drafted. Of course, whenever there are public hearings, there will be people who will claim there was no consultation.
“We are not here for compliance purposes, we are here because we truly believe that people are much more reliable in giving their own solutions to their problems.
“By and large, we are here to facilitate a resolution to the problem that we are experiencing in terms of initiation.
“We know of many young men who die in some of these initiation schools so we are really just trying to deal with the problem so that lives are not lost,” he said.
“What parliament wants to achieve is to firstly have a law that addresses the challenges facing our people in terms of initiation schools.
“While the culture is important, there are people who abuse it for their own greediness so it’s important for us to protect the good aspects of our culture and to protect life.
“One person dying is one too many,” Mdakane said.
The public hearings are expected to take place in Mthatha on Tuesday and end in Limpopo next week.