Tribal Authority welcomes home over 300 initiates

[00:00:00]As South Africa counts the life lost during yet another initiation season.

[00:00:04]Box Fontaine is presenting a different picture showing that the sacred ride of passage can be conducted safely when proper measures are followed. The Ingoana tribal authority says it has successfully welcomed home its higher ever number of initiates with more than 200 young men completing the right of passage without a single death or serious injury. Traditional leaders say strict oversight, adherence to safety measures and cooperation between all stakeholders were key to the successful season.

[00:00:38]>> Our children were more than 1200 to the day the children left and they all came back. No one was left in the mountain.

[00:00:44][laughter] The doctors, initiates and parents work hand in hand. I reiterate that other province must be like traditional leaders say the success did not happen by chance. They credit the strict monitoring of initiation schools, regular medical assessments and collaboration between traditional leaders, health care professionals, parents and government authorities.

[00:01:07]>> It's very important that you enroll with the schools that works in with health professionals because health professionals know the pathology and pathophysiology [music] of the human being. So it's very important that we work holistically with traditional leaders and also with medical [music] doctors because in the mountain there are also complications and one of the complications is the kids can default the treatment. The kids can default the treatment which is very important. So you need a doctor in that case.

[00:01:44]>> For parents the return of their sons represent more than the completion of a cultural journey. It is also a moment of relief and gratitude.

[00:01:53]>> We are thankful to all the men who took care of our children and now they are back and beautiful. We thank everyone who played their part. We are grateful they are all back.

[00:02:07]>> They must not disrespect their parents.

[00:02:09]So we'll be happy to see them maturing in their behavior.

[00:02:14]>> I would like to thank my grandfather to take me to initiation school.

[00:02:19]uh to teach me what he taught me this year. If it wasn't him, I wouldn't be the man I am today.

[00:02:26]>> My name is Gongo.

[00:02:28]I would like to thank all our fathers and and our cateas who who went through this journey with us and today we are happy all of us because we came back as we as we are.

[00:02:41]>> But despite this success story, the national picture remains worrying.

[00:02:46]Government says at least 40 initiates have died during this winter initiation season. 75 have been hospitalized while 180 were rescued from illegal initiation schools. Authorities have identified 58 illegal schools with 42 already shut down. Controla says allegations that some initiation school principles were instructed to deny doctors access to initiation school are deeply concerning warning that such actions may have contributed to the death of initiates.

[00:03:17]>> We are in this mess because there is this allegation that there is someone who gave instructions to some of the principal of the initiation schools not to allow doctors into the initiation school. We are in this mess because of that uh message that was sent to our schools. We just hope police will investigate these allegations and if it is true that someone gave that instruction, the law must take its course because you can't lose so many kids simply because of some people who want to satisfy their ego. While BAS Fundane celebrates a successful initiation season, the deaths recorded across the country have intensified call for stronger oversight, accountability and cooperation to ensure that this important cultural practice is carried out safely for SAPC News.