Stakeholders Initiative in Reducing Mortality Rates in Traditional Initiations Schools in South Africa: A Reflection Paper

Abstract

This paper reflects the joint role of government, parents and the traditional custodians in reducing the high rates of mortality in the traditional initiation schools of South Africa. The main argument raised by this paper is that, traditional initiation schools are very important as they symbolize and signifies the traditional teachings and education employed when initiating young boys to manhood. Many authors recognize that accurate custom practices in initiation could reduce high number of deaths especially in the AmaXhosa clan. However, the solution towards problem in question should be applied across different clan where initiation schools are common in South Africa, and such include the involvement of government to support with legislative framework, traditional custodian to provide guidance and parents to provide necessary support where it is deemed essential for children to attend initiation schools.