NO DEATHS, NO INJURIES
Chief proud after incident-free circumcision
NDEBELE Chief Simon Taita Mahlangu of Motla, North West, is a proud man after of all initiates returned unharmed from the bush.
He is even happier that nine of the 64 initiates are now rehabilitated former drug addicts who smoked the notorious nyaope before going to the mountain.
Nyaope is a combination of anti-retroviral drugs, milk powder, rat poison, bicarbonate of soda, pool cleaner and a cheap form of heroin.
“Because their parents had informed us about the boys’ habit, we monitored their conditions, and each time they craved for nyaope and started shaking, we fed them yoghurt and sweet apples. That is how we managed to help them beat the drug craving, ” Mahlangu said.
Unlike Mpumalanga, North West and Eastern Cape – where more than 60 lives have been lost during circumcisions – no deaths, let alone injuries, have been reported at Mahlangu’s school.
He attributed his success to good leadership by senior officers in charge of the school and the active and supportive role by parents who visited daily.
The initiates, accompanied by their parents, had assembled at Mahlangu’s kraal on May 7 and departed for the circumcision school on May 8. They returned on Tuesday.
All 64 initiates – some from Limpopo, Mpumalanga and other parts of the country – spent Tuesday night at Mahlangu’s kraal, and were only released to their parents the following day after a ceremonial passing-out parade.
Mahlangu described the recent deaths at different schools as a tragedy that could happen to anyone, but stressed that people should respect and follow the old traditional guidelines.
“Firstly, from the beginning of the year certain things, including sex, should be avoided, and initiates-to- be should follow a good, healthy diet,” Mahlangu said.
Secondly, he added, fathers and guardians were also supposed to be involved in the daily training and well-being of the initiates.
“Before we accept them at the school, we take them for a thorough medical examination, which includes blood tests, ” Mahlangu said.
Mahlangu also took a swipe at the government for not involving traditional leaders in the planning of the school calendar.
“If we were consulted, we would have ensured that learners wanting to go back to school after initiation were accommodated, ” Mahlangu said.
He called on the government to consult traditional leaders when embarking on any development in the areas mainly used for initiation schools.
Mahlangu added: “In the Ndebele tradition, we follow a strict timetable controlled by King Mabhoko III of the Ndzundza tribe.”