Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has trained traditional surgeons and assistants ahead of the summer initiation season, strengthening medical preparedness, legal compliance and protection for prospective initiates.
The municipality’s Initiation Forum, working with the Department of Health, conducted refresher training at three locations across the metro between 7 and 9 November 2026.
The sessions took place at the LoveLife Centre in Kariega, Raymond Mhlaba Sport Complex in Motherwell and Mendi Arts Centre in New Brighton.
The programme focused on preparing traditional surgeons and assistants, known as Iingcibi namaKhankatha, to conduct customary initiation practices in accordance with health, safety and legislative requirements.
The training forms part of efforts to reduce preventable health complications during initiation and strengthen cooperation between traditional practitioners, healthcare professionals and municipal authorities.
With the summer initiation season approaching, the municipality has placed particular emphasis on the responsibilities of parents and guardians in ensuring that prospective initiates are medically assessed and attend legally compliant initiation schools.
Prospective initiates are required to undergo an initial medical examination at least three months before their intended circumcision date.
The assessment is intended to identify underlying medical conditions that could place an initiate at risk during the customary practice.
Where a health condition is identified, the municipality says appropriate treatment must be provided before a second medical examination takes place 14 days before initiation.
This follow-up assessment is intended to confirm whether the prospective initiate is medically fit to participate.
The municipality has also reminded families that the required consent and compliance documentation must be completed before initiation begins.
Parents and guardians must obtain the prescribed forms issued by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs through ward councillor offices.
According to the municipality, 5,500 forms have already been distributed across Nelson Mandela Bay, exhausting the initial supply.
A second batch is expected to become available at ward councillor offices by 23 November 2026.
Beyond medical examinations and documentation, the municipality is encouraging families to take an active role in preparing prospective initiates physically and emotionally.
Its guidance includes maintaining a balanced diet, drinking sufficient water, avoiding alcohol and sexual intercourse, and managing stress before initiation.
Parents and guardians are also encouraged to monitor changes in their children’s health and behaviour and seek medical assistance when necessary.
The municipality emphasised that traditional initiation must take place within the country’s legal framework.
The Customary Initiation Act of 2021 regulates initiation schools and customary practices nationally, establishing responsibilities for parents, traditional leaders, traditional surgeons, caregivers and government authorities.
The Customary Initiation Regulations of 2025 provide additional requirements relating to monitoring, inspections and compliance.
In the Eastern Cape, the Customary Male Initiation Practice Act of 2016 and its regulations provide further provincial oversight and requirements.
Together, these measures are intended to protect initiates while recognising the cultural importance of customary initiation.
The municipality has called on traditional leaders, healthcare practitioners, parents and other stakeholders to work together to ensure that the upcoming season is conducted safely and with respect for cultural traditions.
It has also urged families to verify that initiation schools are properly registered and that all medical examinations, consent procedures and legal requirements have been completed.
The preparations highlight the importance of combining traditional knowledge with public health systems and regulatory oversight to protect young people participating in this significant cultural rite of passage.
For Nelson Mandela Bay, the priority is ensuring that cultural practices are observed without compromising the health, dignity or safety of initiates.
