THE Eastern Cape is forging ahead with plans to open the winter initiation season with hundreds of boys set to undergo the traditional circumcision rite from this weekend.
This despite fears that the resurgence in Covid-19 cases is an indication that a third wave of infections is imminent in the province.
The Eastern Cape government has set aside June 11 to July 30 as the period for the winter circumcision.
Officials have put in place Covid-19 protocols in a bid to prevent infections of initiates in the traditional huts (emabhumeni).
These include medical and Covid-19 screening for boys, strict adherence to the health protocols, vaccination of amakhankatha (traditional nurses) and ingcibi (traditional surgeons) and sending law enforcement officers to the schools to enforce Covid-19 regulations and prevent use of unauthorised traditional huts (amabhuma).
Imigidi (homecoming celebrations of initiates) are not permitted this winter, as was the case during the summer season, the provincial government has said. The decision to ban imigidi has been met with mixed reaction by some traditional leaders in the province.
Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha said the risks envisaged in this season’s winter circumcision include an expectation of “big numbers of boys going to the bush” in areas like Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
These are the areas where circumcision did not take place last year due to the high number of Covid-19 infections.
Nqatha said the safety of initiates was the responsibility of their parents and traditional nurses.
“People who break the law must be arrested so that they do not put the life and limb of our children at risk. Parents must not be spared the long arm of the law when found to have gone astray. We encourage parents and families, as we always do, to occupy centre stage pre- and during the winter season to ensure the safe passage of their children to manhood,” said Nqatha.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane told the media on Tuesday that in the past days, there has been an increase in active Covid-19 cases from 821 on May 29 to 1 310 on June 05.
“We have observed a rapid rise of active cases in Nelson Mandela Metro, followed by Sarah Baartman (District Municipality) and Buffalo City Metro.”
The acting chairperson of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, Chief Langa Mavuso, has welcomed the decision by the government in the interest of the people of the province to undergo circumcision this winter. Mavuso called on parents, families, traditional leaders and communities at large to join hands with the government to make the season free of deaths and injuries.
Contralesa’s Eastern Cape chairperson, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, said they will continue to hold talks with the government regarding homecoming celebrations.
“We are aware of the imminent third wave of the virus. However, we also believe that imigidi can also be conducted under strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols and stipulated number of people allowed during Alert Level 2 of the lockdown,” said Nonkonyana.