Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday addressed traditional leaders at the opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders, emphasising the need to prevent deaths of young initiates due to botched circumcisions.
Ramaphosa said that these deaths are avoidable and should not be allowed to continue.
He called for collective efforts from the government, communities, traditional leaders, and oversight committees to end these unnecessary and avoidable tragedies.
The president urged traditional leaders to take responsibility for the issue and guide provinces in implementing the provisions of the customary initiation act to ensure the safety of young boys undergoing initiation rites.
“We need to do all in our powers as government, as communities, as traditional leaders, the national initiation oversight committee, and provincial structures to put an end to these unnecessary and entirely avoidable deaths and injuries of our young boys,” Ramaphosa said during the annual opening of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL).
The challenges facing initiation should be decisively addressed. We cannot continue to have customary initiation being turned into a harmful practice.
We need to do all in our powers as government, communities, traditional leaders, the National Initiation Oversight Committee… https://t.co/20nwDBXiUc
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 22, 2024
Ramaphosa also condemned the increasing killings of traditional leaders, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Our law enforcement agencies are hard at work to ensure that those responsible are brought to book. On behalf of government, I wish to pass our deepest condolences to all families for the loss of their loved ones and to you for the loss of your colleagues.
“May their souls and those of other traditional leaders who passed on since the last opening of the House continue to rest in peace,” President Ramaphosa said.
Last year, KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube denounced the killings, characterising them as an assault on the State with the potential to disrupt a crucial institution vital for societal stability and order.
During a meeting with the South African Police Service in January 2022, it was revealed that the police were probing 51 murder cases dating back to 2012. As of that time, 30 individuals had been apprehended, while 18 cases were still awaiting resolution in court.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
