Winter initiation season suspended during lockdown

Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) secretary-general Zolani Mkiva has confirmed that the institution's national executive committee (NEC), led by its president, Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena, has decided to suspend the winter initiation season.

Speaking to DispatchLIVE in Nqadu, Willowvale, in the Eastern Cape, during health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize's visit on Tuesday, Mkiva described 2020 as an unusual year not only for South Africans but for the whole world because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is the first of its kind. Yes, we know there have been pandemics in the past, but this one is coming at a period when [global] population numbers are at almost 9-billion,” he said.

“We want to say that the initiation season being suspended is also linked to considerations which are about the school curriculum and schooling calendar, among other things.”

Mkiva said it was hoped that the virus would have been defeated by the end of the year, in which case they would consider opening the season for December.

He said the lockdown posed a serious threat to food security as people were being forced to stay at home.