Ingoma Forum Urges Health Collaboration for Safer Initiation Schools

• The Ingoma Forum has urged initiation schools to work with hospitals during the initiation season
• Chairperson Dr Vusi Masombuka said with life-threatening outbreaks such as Mpox; schools need to prioritise the health of the initiates
• Masomuka advised that those running initiation schools should make arrangements with health facilities to screen the initiates

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

The Ingoma Forum has urged initiation schools to work with health facilities during the initiation process.

Ingoma Forum promotes collaboration with hospitals

The Forum’s chairperson, Dr Vusi Masombuka, said that with life-threatening outbreaks such as Mpox or COVID-19, it was vital for schools to make arrangements with hospital task teams to screen the initiates.

Read also

President Cyril Ramaphosa retains Paul Mashatile as his Deputy in multi-party cabinet

Masombuka explained that those found to be at risk could receive medical attention without compromising the health of others and the sacred practice:

“There is a special arrangement and a special ward [for them] because this is a sacred culture. We don’t want our culture exposed to people. We respect the culture too much.”

Masombuka spoke to SABC News as hundreds of initiates graduated from different traditional schools across KwaNdebele in Mpumalanga on the weekend of 30 June 2024.

The 2024 winter initiation season has so far reported fatalities from the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng.

Mzansi weighs in

Facebook users shared their differing opinions on the cultural practice, and some showed concern about the lives lost at initiation schools over the years.

Benedict Chakane said:

“This practice is barbaric.”

Read also

SADTU disapproves of DA's push for Basic Education ministry leadership

Richard de la Rey asked:

“How many years later and how many boys have lost their lives???? ”

MphoDollar Mabulana stated:

“[It's not] Ase culture ke [its] sacrifice and business.”

Noise Mabi added:

“Initiation school is no more, shame”

Katlego Faroactive added:

‘Guys, stop what you are saying about our cultural path of becoming a man or le mashoboro (betrayals to ancestors).”

Gauteng’s bogus initiation schools: 138 boys reunited with families

Briefly News previously reported that two boys lost their lives, and over a hundred others were removed from fake initiation schools around Gauteng.

The province’s CoGTA Department said the kidnapped boys were reunited with their families.

CoGTA spokesperson Tiki Kekana added that three people linked to the abduction and running the bogus schools were arrested.

Source: Briefly News