Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, on March 7, convened the first National Initiation Oversight Committee (NIOC) meeting which unanimously elected Inkosi Vimbi Mahlangu as the chairperson and Fhatuwani Mbedzi from the Department of Health as the deputy chairperson.
The minister is required by the Customary Initiation Act, 2021 (Act No 2. Of 2021), to convene and chair the first meeting of the NIOC, while the members are required, in terms of section 5(1)(a) and 5(1)(b), to elect a chairperson from the members referred to in section 4(1)(a)(b) and (c) and the deputy chairperson among the members.
The NIOC is comprised of the minister of COGTA, the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, the CRL Rights Commission, the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Department of Health, and other critical stakeholders.
The newly elected chairperson and deputy chairperson will work with other committee members to, among others, monitor the implementation of the Act, promote compliance to the Act by all those practising initiation (female and male initiation) and further investigate any illegal abuse of initiates.
Speaking at the first NIOC meeting, Dlamini Zuma wished the committee well, urging them to work in ensuring zero deaths and injuries in initiation schools, as initiations are a noble African custom that represents a rite of passage into adulthood.
