Metro identifies new land for initiations

[caption id="attachment_40287" align="alignright" width="405"] SHARING IDEAS: Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders chairman Ngangomhlaba Matanzima and mayor Ben Fihla after the meeting about initiation in Port Elizabeth. Picture: BRIAN WITBOOI[/caption]

NELSON Mandela Bay mayor Ben Fihla is set to ask council to approve the use of a vacant piece of municipal land just outside Uitenhage to house initiates.

This comes as the city was again hailed yesterday by the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders as an exemplary custodian of Xhosa tradition in the province.

The proposal to use the land was agreed upon at a meeting between Fihla, the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, council speaker and ANC chief whip's office officials, Bay traditional leaders and regional health officials in Port Elizabeth.

Commenting after the parties met behind closed doors at the Noninzi Luzipho Building in the Port Elizabeth CBD, Fihla said the thinking behind identifying the land was to have initiates as far from residents as possible, as dictated by the culture. - Mkhululi Ndamase