Initiation webpage for your peace of mind

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Pretoria – The Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has launched a webpage to ensure that Gauteng citizens have access to all materials or publications on the practice of initiation.

The webpage can be accessed on the Cogta website link: http://www.cogta.gpg.gov.za/initiations.

Citizens will also be able to report any suspicious initiation schools in their areas via the page.

The launch of the page is part of the strategy to curb deaths at initiation schools and to ensure that the culture is practiced within the law.

In Gauteng, initiation is widely practiced and there are a number of challenges that have been experienced. During this winter season, five deaths have been reported thus far.

Initiation practice is regarded as a sacred cultural rite of passage intended to prepare initiates for the responsibilities of adulthood.

Cogta Department Head Brightboy Nkontwana said the abduction of initiates by unscrupulous traditional surgeons to illegal initiation schools must end.

"We are a government at work and people's lives matter to us,” said Nkontwana.

Community members can contact the national initiation toll-free on 0800 11 11 66. – SAnews.gov.za