Cape Town - The African National Congress (ANC) blames the provincial government for the initiation woes in the province and has also called for the removal of two members of the Western Cape Provincial Initiation Co-ordinating Committee (PICC), who allegedly don’t reside in the province.
This follows last week’s closure of four initiation schools in Nyanga, Gugulethu, Philippi and Khayelitsha, and criminal cases being opened against the schools by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCSA), together with the PICC.
ANC provincial legislation member (MPL) Mesuli Kama said the faith of the initiation custom was decided by people who had never practised it and that the Western Cape Initiation Forums Executive Council, an entity comprising 39 forums, was never consulted on the decision.
“The recent closure of four initiation schools in the province is a direct consequence of the premier and provincial government’s failure to engage meaningfully with traditional leaders and initiation forums, who serve as custodians of Ulwaluko.
“It is crucial to emphasise that the disturbing incidents of last week, where initiation schools were forcibly closed by the PICC and provincial government, were not solely due to the alleged illegality of these schools, as asserted by the department.
“Rather, these actions are symptomatic of the broader issue of the DA government’s disregard for communication and its undermining of traditional leaders,” Kama said.
He said the 39 initiation forums were left uninformed and unconsulted during the appointment of the Provincial PICC.
“They strongly object to the composition of the PICC, specifically highlighting the appointment of two traditional leaders who do not reside in the province.
“Their recommendation is clear: the removal of these two chiefs from the PICC and a call for the premier and MEC to consult the Initiation Forums Executive Council regarding the co-opting of two council members to serve in the PICC,” said Kama.
Cultural Affairs and Sports MEC Anroux Marais said the Western Cape Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (WCPICC) was constituted according to the relevant legislation and in accordance with the Customary Initiation Act of 2021 (sections 11(3) and (4)).
“In a province where a provincial house has not been established and where no traditional leaders have been recognised but initiation takes place within the province, the premier of such province must, subject to subsections (4) and (6) and sections 16(4) and 38, and after consultation with the National House,” said Marais.
He said: “For the WCPICC to be effectively constituted, the presence of the two members of the National House is a mandatory requirement under the act.
“There are currently no formally recognised traditional leaders in the Western Cape in terms of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act or any former laws that it repealed.
Consequently, no traditional leader from the Western Cape is a member of the National House. Since no traditional leaders from the Western Cape are serving in the National House, none can be designated by that House to serve on the PICC as per Section 11(3)(a) of the Act.”