Premier Mabuza intervenes on initiation schools
tragedy
21 May 2013
Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza has sent a technical
team to the initiation schools in the Nkangala region to investigate the
circumstances that have led to the death of 27 initiates.
The team comprises of the heads of the departments of
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Health and Community Safety
Security and Liaison. They will work closely with the South African Police
Services who are already on the scene.
The team would be led by Institutional Development
Deputy Director-General Mr Mighty Mgidi from the Office of the Premier.
The team has been given until Friday [25 May 2013] to
report back to the Premier in order for urgent interventions to be
implemented.
Although the Premier and the provincial government
support the culture which is regarded as having contributed greatly to
reducing HIV infections in the Nkangala region, they are saddened by the
deaths of initiates.
The Premier has subsequently conveyed his condolences
to the bereaved families saying government would continue to work with the
traditional leaders in promoting the safe practising of the culture.
This is the first time the province experience such a
huge number of causalities from the initiation schools.
“This has come as a shock to all of us, we send our deepest sympathy to the bereaved families. We trust that the investigations by the team working with the police will assist us as a provincial government to establish the causes.
“We fully support the culture, and working with the department of health we have already sent medical teams deployed to the initiation schools to provide primary health care services.
“Preliminary reports from the traditional leadership indicate that casualties happened at the initiation schools which are not working with our health officials, we therefore urge all initiation schools to partner with government,” said Mabuza.
The Premier explained that an agreement was already in
place between the health department and King Mabhoko III which enforced that
initiation schools be known to government and that initiates should be
screened for health problems prior to initiation.
Last week, the Premier met with all traditional
leaders in the province where they recommitted themselves in working with
government in reducing HIV infections through male medical circumcision.
Government intends to have at least 60 000 male medical circumcision in this
financial year.
The provincial government is working hard to finalise
the Ingoma Bill which will govern all matters of initiation schools.
Spokesperson: Zibonele Mncwango
Tel: (013) 766 – 2453
Mobile: 079 491 0163
E-mail:
zmncwango@mpg.gov.za
