Boys who have been medically examined in other provinces will not be allowed to undergo traditional circumcision in some parts of the Eastern Cape from next month.
Traditional and religious leaders, non-government organisations, officials from the departments of co-operative governance & traditional affairs, health, and social development, resolved at the weekend to forbid boys medically checked in other provinces to be traditionally circumcised.
They want every boy aged 18 and above to be medically checked in the Eastern Cape before they undergo the rite to avoid a case where those with illnesses are circumcised.
The Mnquma traditional initiation summit held in Butterworth resolved boys in Butterworth, Centane, Ngqamakhwe and surrounding areas must subject themselves to a health screening even if they had already done this in another province.
This is one of the ways they think might help to prevent the death of initiates and injuries.
All the speakers – including Mnquma mayor Sithembiso Ncetezo and Mnquma traditional initiation forum chairperson Pathatwa Nguza – said they wanted the area to remain one of those that hardly have initiation deaths.
“The summit adopted a decision that only boys who had undergo the mandatory pre-circumcision health screening in the Eastern Cape should be allowed to go for the rite of passage.
“The summit also resolved that only identity documents, not birth or baptismal certificates, will be allowed. All initiates must be given enough water to drink to prevent dehydration,” said Nguza.
The decisions came up after three initiates died during the summer initiation season in Theko-Fihla village in Centane and Ndabakazi village in Butterworth.
In fact, all the districts in the Eastern Cape have been complaining that many of the cases of initiates who died from complications had health examinations done in the Western Cape and Gauteng.
But, the challenge was that according to the laws regulating traditional circumcision and initiation in the Eastern Cape, boys intending to undergo the rite should be screened three months before circumcision.
Some of the boys study or work in other provinces but according to family links, they undergo the rite in the original homes of the families.