WCG working with stakeholders to keep initiates safe this winter

The 2023 Winter Initiation Season officially started on 1 June 2023 and ends on 31 July 2023. The Western Cape Government (WCG) together with initiation forums and community leaders has worked hard to ensure the safety of initiates during this time.

The Western Cape Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (WCPICC) was established under section 11 (3) of the Customary Initiation Act, No 2 of 2021. The WCPICC’s function is to coordinate all initiation schools, practices and activities within the province and in accordance with section 15 of the Act, in order to ensure safety of initiates and accountability for all role players.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) worked closely with local initiation forums to ensure that all the necessary steps have been followed to safeguard the wellbeing of initiates across the province and will continue to support all stakeholders involved in initiation to ensure the dignity and safety of all initiates. The following has been done in preparation for the winter initiation season:

DCAS held information sessions with various stakeholders to ensure that all requirements in terms of medical screenings for initiates would be met.

DCAS provided consent forms to be completed and signed by prospective initiates, parents / guardians, responsible traditional carers, and traditional surgeons. Communities participating in initiation were encouraged to make use of the form as it stipulates common grounds of responsibilities between all the parties directly affected.

The WCPICC approved applicable forms received in terms of section 15 (1) (b) and (c) of the Act and provided to Initiation Forums for implementation. It further encouraged Initiation Forums with outstanding information to submit the applicable forms for registration to open and hold an initiation school.

DCAS is providing initiation forums with personal protective equipment (PPEs), water tanks, thermal blankets, fire extinguishers, fire beaters and metal fire buckets to mitigate risks.

The Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais, said: “The safety of initiates in the province is our top priority during initiation seasons. The initiation rite of passage is one that is culturally very important and significant and we will continue to work to ensure that initiation schools can safely guide our initiates through this time.”

The WCG welcomes all initiation schools approved by the WCPICC to run during the winter season. Initiation schools not yet registered by the WCPICC are encouraged to do so urgently.

As required by section 26(2) of the Act, initiation schools must register at least three months before each initiation season. The Department encourages communities to register initiation schools for the summer initiation season following the winter season, which begins on 1 August 2023.