Initiation schools in South Africa ; culture vs commercial interest

Initiation Schools: Culture vs. Commercial Interest

In many aspects South Africa is a deeply traditional country with strong cultural emphasis on certain things, one of them being initiation for young men. However In a recent article in the Mail&Guardian Chris Mann wrote that “More people continue to be killed and mutilated in initiation schools in South Africa each year than died in the Sharpeville massacre”. And with the new cases of death at initiation school the question of whether money has become more important than cultural practises has come to light.

In a recent debate in the National Assembly Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said  that “ The deaths of dozens of boys at initiation schools in Mpumalanga and Limpopo was akin to tenderpreneurship gone wrong” and “the deaths had nothing to do with culture or tradition, but with commercial interests”

Initiation can be defined as a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense it can also signify a transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role; this is according to Wikipedia, while the oxford dictionary defines initiation as the act of somebody becoming a member of a group, often with a special ceremony.

Recently the media has been flooded with stories of young men who have passed away while in initiation schools. Promoting the public to demand answers as to what exactly is causing the death of this young men, and whether the government is doing enough to combat bogus initiation schools.

Initiation schools are meant to be a place where young men go and learn about the essence of manhood, and life in general and leave the place with more knowledge than they came with. Unfortunately some don’t live to implement the lesson taught within these schools. With the current unemployment rate in the country being so high many have taken upon themselves to open up initiations schools.  They Claim that it is their constitutional right to practise their cultural practises, and that the schools cannot be shut down.

Due tradition many men feel it’s imperative for them to go to initiation schools as opposed to going to the hospital as they will not be “man enough” should they take the easy way out, and unfortunately for those that do go to initiation schools and experience problems later on, what they fail to understand is the cause of death is usually septicaemia(infection of the blood  by harmful bacteria , septicaemia can also be known as blood poisoning) and thanks to this phony schools families have lost beloved sons, brothers, breadwinners to mention a few.

Although the government, the ANC Youth League and the Opposition Parties have strongly called for this illegal schools to be shut down, a lot has to be done to educate the public about the importance of this schools and the dangers that lie ahead when not enough care is taken when dealing with initiates.