Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders Kgosi Thabo Milton Seatlholo, Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders Nkosi Langa Mavuso and members of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders present

Chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission, Professor Mosoma;

The Chairperson of the NIOC Ikosi Vembi William Mahlangu, Deputy Chairperson of the NIOC Mr Bruce Mbedzi, and members of the National Initiation Oversight Committee present;

Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committees (PICCs) present;

Director-General of Traditional Affairs: Mr. Mashwahle Diphofa;

Members of the media present; and

Fellow South Africans.

Greetings to you all.

Thank you for joining us here today as we launch the National Initiation Oversight Committee’s Customary Initiation Awareness Campaign. The launch of the awareness campaign, led by the National Initiation Oversight Committee (NIOC), is an important milestone in our country’s journey towards protecting lives and preventing all forms of abuse stemming from the practice of customary initiation.

This launch comes at a point when the customary initiation practice is facing certain challenges and is need its dignity and integrity to be restored. Customary Initiation is one of the many facets of our cultures that shapes and molds us as a people and gives us a sense of identity.

Unfortunately, the customary initiation practice, and more specifically male initiation, is being tarnished by incidents of young men losing their lives, being abused, injured, and amputated.  

We have also seen those with ill intentions entering this space and opening illegal customary initiation schools for commercialisation of the practice and committing many unlawful activities in the name of the customary initiation practice.

As we all know, most of our initiates are persons in their youthful age, and therefore the practice of customary initiation is a rite of passage from youth to adulthood. With the month of June is recognised as a youth month in South Africa, it was of utmost importance that this launch be conducted during this month to signify the collective commitment by all stakeholders to protecting our youth from any form of abuse or injury resulting from customary initiation practice.

In 2021 the South African government enacted the Customary Initiation Act (Act No. 2 of 2021) which commenced on 01 September 2021. The main purpose of the Act is to protect lives, prevent all forms of abuse that initiates may be subjected to as a result of customary initiation practices, and regulate customary initiation by providing acceptable norms and standards. The Act further provides for the establishment of oversight and coordinating structures to ensure that customary initiation takes place in a controlled and safe environment.

The enactment of the Act was a great milestone for the country in the sense that there is now a regulatory framework that deals with aspects of customary initiation.  Thus, all role players that participate in customary initiation are expected to practice it within the confines of the Customary Initiation Act.

In terms of the structures provided for in the Act at the national level, we established the National Initiation Oversight Committee in November 2022. The NIOC, as it is popularly known, is tasked with the critical responsibilities of monitoring the implementation of the Act; promoting compliance with the Act; and guiding the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committees (PICCs) in the implementation of the Act.

At the provincial level, we have Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committees (PICC) tasked with, amongst others, fostering cooperation among all role players; registration of initiation schools; determining the number of initiates per initiation school; ensuring that the basic needs of the initiates are protected; developing a curriculum for the initiates; ensuring that there are no illegal activities in the schools; investigate alleged abuse of initiates and ensure the health and safety of all initiates. Most provinces have established the PICC, and we call upon those that have not yet finalised the establishment of the PICC to do so as a matter of urgency.

With the upcoming awareness campaigns, the NIOC seeks to promote compliance with the Act by everyone who participates in the practice of customary initiation.

Aspects in the Act with which the NIOC seeks to foster compliance by conducting these awareness campaigns include, but are not limited to:

• Registration of initiation schools – In order for an initiation school to be legally recognised, such a school must be registered with the PICC. As I have indicated earlier, the PICC is the coordinating structure provided for in the Customary Initiation Act and it is established by a Premier of a province where initiation takes place. It is, therefore, an offense to hold/operate a non-registered initiation school, and on conviction, the perpetrator will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 15 years in prison or both the fine and imprisonment.

• Commencement of an initiation season – The Customary Initiation Act requires the initiation season to coincide with the relevant school holidays. The date of this launch, that is 23 June 2023, marks the closure of schools and this therefore signifies Government’s support and commitment to ensure that customary initiation is conducted during school holidays ONLY.
• Consent – Initiation is a voluntary customary practice and no one should be forced or coerced to attend an initiation school. It is, therefore, an offense to force any person to attend an initiation school or to allow a person to attend an initiation school without a valid consent form and therefore on conviction the perpetrator will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years in prison or both the fine and imprisonment.

• Age – Children under the age of 16 may not undergo initiation school. Children between the ages of 16 and 18 years may not undergo initiation school for purposes of being initiated unless written consent by the child and his/her parents has been given. A person who is 18 years and above may attend initiation school subject to their written consent (i.e. they do not require parental consent)

It is therefore an offence to accept an initiate under the age of 16 years to undergo an initiation school whether registered or not and on conviction the perpetrator will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 15 years in prison or both the fine and imprisonment.

• Registration of traditional surgeons – Any traditional surgeon who is not registered, whether in accordance with the provisions of section 41 of this Act or in terms of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act, but performs duties at an initiation school, is guilty of an offense and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both a fine and such imprisonment or to any relevant fine or imprisonment as may be provided for in terms of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act.

• Compliance with the Act by principals, parents, or legal customary guardians and traditional surgeons: If any principal, parent, or legal customary guardian of an initiate and traditional surgeon does not comply with the provisions of the Act, such principal, parent, legal or customary guardian, or traditional surgeon, as the case may be, is guilty of an offense and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both a fine and such imprisonment.

The NIOC’s Customary Initiation Act Awareness Campaign is launched under the theme “Preserving lives, Promoting the custom”. The theme for our Awareness Campaign resonates well with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and our own South African Bill of Rights (i.e., the right to life). The theme also resonates well with the overall outcome of the Customary Initiation Indaba which was convened in April this year by the CRL Rights Commission where it was resolved to assert the rule of law and accountability in customary initiation and to preserve the sacredness of the custom. We, therefore, would like to support and acknowledge the stance taken by the NIOC in ensuring that customary initiation is practiced in a safe and controlled environment.

We accordingly urge and plead with all stakeholders involved in initiation to work hand-in-hand with the NIOC during these awareness campaigns and most importantly to support the NIOC in executing its legislative mandate of monitoring the implementation of and compliance with the Customary Initiation Act.

The road ahead will be long and challenging, but it is a road that we must walk together and with determination, leaving no one behind

We need to change the public narrative that “customary initiation practice is a practice that kills”. 

Working together, I have no doubt that we will overcome the current challenges faced by the customary initiation sector and save lives.

I thank you!