14 boys rescued from illegal initiation school in Eastern Cape

Fourteen initiates have been rescued from an illegal initiation school in Mqanduli, and four traditional nurses and two parents were arrested in the Buffalo City metro and the Mhlontlo municipality for flouting lockdown regulations.

The initiates had gone to the mountain despite the traditional rite being banned by President Cyril Ramaphosa on June 27. 

OR Tambo district traditional initiation forum chair Nkosi Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo said none of the Mqanduli initiates could provide required documentation for them to be circumcised.

“They did not have any official documents, including Covid-19 screening test results,” he said. “Upon their rescue at Lower Nenga village, they were taken to a rescue centre in Ngcwanguba village where a very experienced ikhankatha [traditional nurse] will look after them until they have completed their initiation stage.”

Without documents, no young boy was eligible to undergo the old-age rite of ulwaluko (circumcision), he said.

Dudumayo said three traditional nurses and a parent had been arrested in Gabazi village in Mhlontlo municipality.

Provincial co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) spokesperson Mamnkeli Ngam said another traditional nurse and a parent had been arrested in Buffalo City for violating lockdown regulations.

He said the arrests were made on Friday after a visit to initiation schools by Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha.

“People know what to do, and those who break the law will be arrested,” he said.

“The MEC appreciates support from communities and parents who continuously phone in to seek advice and guidance.

“The situation with Covid-19 and the level 4 national lockdown is beyond the control of the province.”

Provincial police spokesperson Brig Tembinkosi Kinana also confirmed the arrests of the traditional nurses and a parent in the Tina Falls area, near Qumbu, for contravening regulations.

He said those arrested would appear in court on Monday.

DispatchLIVE reported last week that the national government had suspended the custom of ulwaluko after Ramaphosa’s address when he moved the country to an adjusted level 4 national lockdown. This essentially meant young boys who were hoping to undergo initiation would have to put their plans on hold.

However, those already at initiation schools would be allowed to continue to the end, even though festivities like the homecoming imigidi would not be permitted as all indoor and outdoor gatherings, including cultural, religious and political meetings, are not allowed.

The winter initiation period, which effectively started on June 11, was set to end on July 30.

DispatchLIVE