Initiation Site Development in , : Addressing the Challenges of Urban Initiation While Preserving Tradition and Culture

ABSTRACT The initiation ritual is a ceremony that symbolizes the transition from boyhood to manhood for many South African males of the amaXhosa, amaHlubi, and abeSuthu ethnic groups. It is an im- portant tradition during which young males are circumcised and taught to be responsible men. The ritual has been practiced for hundreds of years in rural areas. However, in recent years, the initiation ritual has spread to urban environments, and with this shift, this sacred process has faced many challenges, including insufficient areas of suitable land and a lack of safe health prac- tices. Through research of the cultural context, interviews, and analysis of the only formal initiation site in Cape Town, the team assisted in preparing a plan and an implementation strat- egy for the development of the Good Hope College Initiation Site in Khayelitsha; a sign of the ’s commit- ment to the formalization and reservation of land for the sacred ritual of initiation.

This project report is part of an ongoing research program by students of the WPI CTPC to explore and develop options for sustainable community development in the informal settle- ments of . For more information please go to: AUTHORS PROJECT ADIVSORS SPONSOR http://www.wpi-capetown.org/ QIU CHEN PROFESSORS CITY OF CAPE TOWN The following is an executive summary of a full project report that has been implemented as MATTHEW CONNOLLY SCOTT JIUSTO & a website available at: LUIS QUIROGA ROBERT HERSH http://wp.wpi.edu/capetown/homepage/projects/p2010/initiation-site-development/ ANDREW STEWART

An Interactive Qualifying Project submitted to the faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science. PROBLEM STATEMENT The ritual inspires social cohesion maintaining the initiation tradition, amputation, and sometimes death. and cultural pride. Failure to undergo and the urban abantu community The City of Cape Town has recently The initiation ritual is a ceremony this process can lead to serious social has been forced to creatively adapt to developed a task force to plan, de- that symbolizes the transition from consequences for the males of the a rapidly changing social and cultural velop, and operate formal initiation boyhood to manhood for the males of South African abantu. In urban envi- environment. Many migrants reside sites to provide space and reduce the the amaXhosa, amaHlubi, and abe- ronments where lack of space and in townships and informal settle- risks associated with initiation. Suthu ethnic groups known collec- unsanitary conditions exist, the risks ments on the outskirts of Cape Town. tively as abantu. This sacred ritual is that boys will face to gain the privi- One of these townships, Khayelitsha, BACKGROUND an important part of traditional cul- lege of marriage, the respect of the is located 30 km from the centre of During the summer and winter ture that has been practiced for hun- community, and the right to become Cape Town, and is home to a shifting breaks each year, thousands of males dreds of years in rural areas of South a man through initiation are height- population of between 500,000 and in South Africa typically between the Africa. ened (Mavundla, 2010). 1,000,000 residents comprised ages of 17 to 23 undergo the tradi- largely of abantu people who have Each year, young males walk away In the last two decades, there has tional ritual of initiation (City of Cape migrated from the Eastern Cape from the familiarity of their homes, been a mass migration from rural Town, 2009). On the first day of ini- (Alex, et al., 2007). Many young and go to the bush where they are areas of the Eastern Cape Province to tiation, boys are circumcised by a males cannot afford to travel to the circumcised, and left alone to their urban areas of the traditional surgeon (ingcibi) who is Eastern Cape to partake in the tradi- thoughts and to heal. In the follow- Province driven largely by the need to appointed by the family, and are left tional initiation ceremony, and so the ing four to six weeks, the initiates find employment, and the desire for a in seclusion for four to six weeks. initiates must find the most appropri- must learn of their new responsibili- higher standard of living (Central During this time of seclusion, initi- ate area they can in these urban ties and protocols to which they must Intelligence Agency, 2010). This mi- ates live in huts (ibhomas), tradition- townships. adhere as men in their communities. gration has created challenges in ally made of reeds, but currently In most areas experiencing rapid ur- made out of plastic (Afolayan, Funso, banization in South Africa, little land 2004). remains secluded and undisturbed for proper initiation use. Instead, informal sites with little privacy that are subject to dumping of trash and grazing of livestock are chosen for this sacred ritual. Even when these boys find desirable land, challenges of initiation still remain. The male will face three of the largest risks dur- ing his first day of initiation—AIDS, bacterial infection, and botched cir- cumcisions. Health complications of the initiates arising from botched During this time, the initiates must circumcisions and improperly sani- learn the responsibilities that have tized blades by irresponsible ingcibis been passed down for centuries by (traditional surgeons) are common. knowledgeable men who are trusted In 2007, there were 100 hospital ad- and respected in the community, missions reported in the Eastern called ikhankathas. Cape due to initiation health compli- cations (Meissner, 2007). These com- Historically, and in most parts of the plications included transmission of Western Cape and all of the Eastern viruses, bacterial infection, penile Cape Provinces today, the ceremony

Initiation Pg. 2 was not carried out within the In 2009, the Western Cape and City velopment of the Good Hope College initiation ritual. The team was able to boundaries of a fenced region. The of Cape Town government sought to Initiation Site in Khayelitsha on be- meet several key contacts and learn government was not involved. As the address the continuing economic, half of the City of Cape Town’s Social more about the importance of initia- high rate of hospital admittances, social, and health challenges that face Development Department. Several tion in the abantu community. In reports of infections, and mortality the abantu youth who undergo initia- main objectives were identified to order to understand the challenges due to initiation became known, the tion. An indaba, or gathering of con- achieve this goal, including: and conditions of existing sites, the provincial government in the Eastern cerned community members, city and team visited the Langa Initiation Site. Cape passed the 2001 Circumcision government officials, and tribal eld-  Explore the changing culture of The Langa Initiation Site is a re- Act (Karl Peltzer, 2008). However, ers discussed the need to formalize initiation in South Africa spected site known for its history of this initial legislation did little to re- initiation sites in the Western Cape to no fatalities. A series of site visits and duce the number of health complica- help ensure the safety and security of  Research and assess existing ini- discussions with Langa Site person- tions and deaths. In the Western their youth, and preserve sites for tiation sites nel did, however, identify existing Cape, where initiation often takes initiation. The City of Cape Town re-  Develop a site layout, infrastruc- challenges. From these discussions, place in urban, rather than rural en- sponded to the needs of the initiation the team gained an understanding of ture plan, preliminary tender vironments, no action was taken by community and made a verbal com- the complexities surrounding initia- documents, and management the government. mitment to provide formal initiation tion; the social and political relations plan for the Good Hope College sites for the boys of the townships between government and abantu Initiation Site such as Khayelitsha. In order to fur- members in the communities, as well ther these efforts, the City of Cape METHODOLOGY as the challenges that face the site Town established an Initiation Task committee, site manager, and the city Team comprised of community lead- The team worked in Cape Town for officials who are associated with the ers, elders, traditional surgeons, mu- two months in late 2010 with guid- Langa Initiation Site. This research nicipal and provincial government ance from former City of Cape Town was informative in making our Good officials, and other major stake- City Planner Basil Tommy, to achieve Hope College Initiation Site recom- holders with the goal of developing project objectives. During this time, mendations. sustainable, safe initiation sites the team attended an initiation in- Analysis of the Langa site that was throughout the municipality. daba and worked with city officials from several departments. The team later used to plan the Good Hope Col- In 2010, the designation of land for 11 spoke with Langa Initiation Site offi- lege Initiation Site included an as- formal initiation sites around the City cials, a senior manager of the West- sessment of the following: of Cape Town was announced. Of ern Cape Department of Arts and these sites, three are active informal Culture, a traditional surgeon, an  Condition and effectiveness of the In 2005, concerned citizens of the initiation sites in Khayelitsha. With Eastern Cape Health Official, and concrete palisade fence, con- township of Langa asked the City of the ideas of the initiation community Kirstenbosch Garden personnel to structed by the City to secure the Cape Town to help preserve their in- at the forefront, the City of Cape identify and further define the ele- site and provide privacy formal initiation site. The City re- Town set a goal to formalize the sec- ments essential to the design of the  Site access for cars, pedestrians, sponded, and the Langa site subse- ond initiation site in the Western Good Hope College Initiation Site. quently became the first formal ini- Cape in 2011, modelled after the and emergency vehicles To gather information about the tiation site in the Western Cape, pro- Langa site.  Geographical features and vegeta- viding a fenced in area reserved for changes in initiation culture and to tion used by initiates for screening initiation, with a shower and the re- MISSION STATEMENT AND gain a better grasp of the City of Cape purposes quirement that initiates receive a OBJECTIVES Town’s vision for the proposed Khayelitsha site, the team first at- physical examination and follow a list The purpose of this project was to  Irrigation system, parking, water of regulations enforced by a paid site tended the annual initiation indaba, assist in the preparation of a plan and or gathering, of city officials and taps, and shower facilities manager and volunteer site commit- implementation strategy for the de- tee. abantu representatives discussing the

Initiation Pg. 3  Challenges such as trash dumping, RESULTS LANGA INITIATION SITE rubble dumping, and vandalism Through research conducted, the FINDINGS team came to understand the impor-  Management structure and prac- While at the Langa Site, it was noted tance of the culture surrounding ini- tices. that structures such as showers are tiation. It was stressed in nearly every necessary and should be unobtrusive The team met with Zolisa Pakade, the encounter that initiation is a funda- in appearance, that a site should take Department of Social Development mental part of abantu culture and on a forest like appearance, and that project manager responsible for the social identity for males. Using this organized site management that en- formalization of the Good Hope Col- knowledge, the team understood that forces rules and regulations, and lege Initiation Site, to discuss the major changes to the initiation ritual community involvement has led to a City’s initiative, budget, recent pro- would not be accepted. The team safe site for the initiates at Langa. gress, and challenges. Major topics made recommendations only after However, the most important feature discussed in this initial meeting in- Following this meeting, city officials discussion with members of the ini- at Langa is the concrete palisade cluded fencing, topography, and city helped the team determine that full tiation community. The first step fencing. Over the years, this gated ownership of land. development of the city and Denel taken was to visit the reputable Langa fence has helped preserve the ritual site to understand why this adapta- of initiation, while exposing chal- The team visited the Good Hope Col- owned land was not feasible given tion of the ritual is widely accepted by lenges. Barring cases where gates lege Initiation Site, which is currently that the process to purchase or lease initiates’ families, traditional leaders, have been left open, the site has been being used informally, four times Denel land will create lengthy delays and government officials alike, as left untainted by trash dumping, cat- during their time in Cape Town. in the project. Thus, a two phase de- well as to identify challenges that for- tle grazing, and the cutting down of Photo documentation was utilized on velopment plan was proposed that mal initiation sites face. trees for firewood. However, the -site to later identify and analyze geo- initially develops the City-owned land fence has been vandalized in two lo- graphic features and areas where ini- in phase I, followed by the Denel tiates currently construct their huts owned land in Phase II, if it may be so as to define site borders that en- purchased or leased. compass these areas of interest. Once Information was requested and re- site borders were known, fence loca- ceived from city departments and tion, site access, amount of fill private contractors for the prepara- needed to create a level ground for tion of specifications and prices for fence construction, and location of palisade fencing, tree planting, irriga- showers and latrines were deter- tion, water supply, and dropped curb- mined. ing for vehicular entrance onto the With development of preliminary site. At the conclusion of the eight plans underway, the team learned weeks in Cape Town, the team ar- that almost half of the land that had ranged to meet with Lungelo Nok- been planned for in the initial site waza to present the site proposal and design created by the team for pres- discuss the proposed design, cost es- entation to the Department of Social timates, management plan, and im- Development was owned by Denel, a plementation plan to be applied in state-owned manufacturing com- the months following our departure. pany. The team therefore met with the head of the Department of Social Development, Lungelo Nokwaza, to discuss the issue of land ownership. The Langa Initiation Site

Initiation Pg. 4 cations to make a shortcut to avoid walk- connect to an existing fence owned provides additional screening, but region of the proposed site should be ing around the site. The fence has not by Denel that currently exists on the cannot prevent people from enter- enclosed by the site fence to main- since been repaired out of concern that it west side of the proposed site. ing the site, and may be cut down tain the privacy of initiates given that will merely be broken again, and grants for firewood. The Rhus crenata, the entire site may be viewed from consideration when designing the Good Metalasia muricata, Ficus na- the top. However, at the current Hope College Initiation Site. talensis, and Brachylaena discolor road reserve of 20 meters, this is not will be planted along the site pe- possible. The team requested to the GOOD HOPE COLLEGE rimeter for screening. These were Department of Transportation that INITIATION SITE PLAN chosen from a substantial list of the road reserve be reduced from 20 Using the Langa Site as a model, the vegetation, compiled in a consulta- meters to 10 meters in order to in- team developed a site plan and develop- tion with Kirstenbosch Gardens clude the hill and increase the area of ment strategy for the City of Cape Town personnel for their ability to grow usable terrain. This will reduce the Department of Social Development. A in Khayelitsha, where there are amount of fill that is necessary to budget of R300,000 has been reserved to strong winds, sandy soil, and a eliminate the steep grade along Spine contribute to the development of the site high water table. These bushes are Road on which the fence will be con- during the first fiscal year of construc- not likely to be cut down for fire- structed. This will significantly de- wood, and will be accepted by city crease the total cost of the project. tion, ending in June 2011. The recom- From conversations about dumping officials and abantu community mended plan encompasses 8.2 hectares of trash, vandalism, and the preser- the road reserve be reduced from 20 members alike because they are enclosed by a 1241 meter perimeter. The vation of the initiation site, fencing meters to 10 meters in order to in- indigenous to South Africa. plot of land recommended for enclosure was determined to be essential to the clude the hill and increase the area of encompasses a valley and hills that initi- success of the Good Hope College While fencing and hedges provide usable terrain. This will reduce the ates can use for screening. As seen in No- Initiation Site. All whom were spo- screening, geographic features of amount of fill that is necessary to vember 2010, initiates set up their huts ken with about fencing agreed that it significance were also considered. eliminate the steep grade along Spine in the valley during summer season be- is necessary and will discourage in- A small hill located in the western Road on which the fence will be con- cause the walls of the valley provide appropriate use of the site. While the screening and seclusion. Likewise, the cost to fence the site is high at R210,630 , Concrete Palisade fencing is not easily broken, and cannot be easily sold or used for housing, as is the case with metal fencing. A concern noted at the Langa site that may apply at the Good Hope College Initiation Site is that the fence may be broken by people who wish to cross the site, rather than walk around it. This vandalism may be prevented by leaving the pedes- trian gate open during the day, and locking it at night, but is not a per- hills provide the initiates with dry ground manent solution, and will require during the wet season, helping to prevent further consideration by the site discomfort and infection. Concrete pali- committee. sade fencing will surround the site and Vegetation on the inside of the fence run along Spine Road and Mew Way and

Initiation Pg. 5 structed. This will significantly de- excluding labor, given that part of R690,044 for Phase I, nearly 30% is initiation sites located in Khayelit- crease the total cost of the project. fencing used for Phase I can be trans- based off a contractor’s projected al- sha. ferred. The total cost for Phases I lowance of R200,000 given for the SITE DEVELOPMENT and II would be approximately fill needed along the southern border. GOOD HOPE COLLEGE SITE STRATEGY R692,000. The R2000 increase in Given the high projected estimate for MANAGEMENT PLAN Given that a portion of the proposed cost is due to the additional vegeta- fill, alternatives were analyzed. The Good Hope College Initiation site is controlled by Denel, we pro- tion needed for screening. The team Site management shall consist of an estimates that approximately 55 initi- ALTERNATIVE FENCING pose the site be developed in two PLAN initiation site committee, site man- phases. Phase I will use 3.8 hectares ates per season can utilize the phase I ager, and associated government of- of City-owned land, during which site and approximately 120 initiates ficials. The Good Hope College Ini- time the City will negotiate the acqui- per season can utilize the site once it tiation Site Committee will consist of sition or lease of the Denel-controlled is fully developed, extrapolating from 6-7 volunteer members, and is based land with the National Department of the estimated usage of the Langa Site, off of the Langa Initiation Site’s Public Works. If these negotiations as provided by the Langa Site Man- model. These members will need to succeed, Phase II would add 3.8 hec- ager. The acquisition of the Denel- create awareness in the community tares of Denel-owned property and owned land by the City is a distinct about the initiation season, and hold 0.6 hectares of adjoining City-owned possibility, given that its topography a meeting where the steps to be initi- land, reserving a total of 8.2 hectares renders it unsuitable for most com- Two alternatives are proposed to ad- ated are outlined. It is advisable that for initiation use. There will be no mercial uses and given the provincial dress the financial challenge of filling the Good Hope College Initiation Site additional cost to enclose this land, and city government’s support for the area along Spine Road. Alterna- Committee follow the Langa Site initiation initiatives. Of the estimated tive recommendations include the Committee’s lead, and recommend proposal of a site with a further re- trusted ikhankathas and ingcibis to duced road reserve, and a proposal the community. where no fill is used, and the fence is For safety reasons, the Good Hope placed on the bottom edge of the College Initiation Site Committee slope in front of the trees planted for needs to require that all initiates who screening. This alternative requires undergo the ritual provide the ing- that trees be fully grown in before cibi with a medical certificate that adequate screening would be present affirms their health status. Provision on site, however, it will be substan- of the certificate to the surgeon prior tially less expensive if fill is not used, to the date of circumcision (the first and in both situations, will still pro- day of initiation) is suggested. vide screening and enclose the hill, previously discussed. Both alterna- A site manager is also needed to tives require that trees, rather than manage the site throughout the year. shrubs, are planted to aid in screen- The site manager is responsible for ing. registering initiates, overseeing the site conditions, controlling access to Construction of the initiation site the site, and enforcing site regula- proximate to Good Hope College in tions. Khayelitsha is expected to commence in the months that follow our depar- ture. The team’s work is expected to lay a precedent for subsequent devel- opment of the two other informal

Initiation Pg. 6 PHASE I COST ESTIMATES Number of Unit Cost Total Costs ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Item Units Unit (Rands) (Rands) Project cost estimates including both We would like to thank the following Fencing 1 003 metres 210 210 630 capital costs and management and individuals for their support and operational costs are based on data Gates 1 Estimate 6 800 6 800 guidance through this project: provided by relevant city depart- Fill 800 metres^3 250 200 000 Larry Cronji, Department of Water ments, contractors, and consultants. and Sanitation Some have been specifically calculated Shrubs 502 4 kg. bag 12 6 024 for the project, while others are based Benjamin Festus, Kirstenbosch Gar- on estimates of similar work under- Trees 101 20 kg. bag 60 6 060 dens Environment Education Centre taken in other projects, and have been Irrigation 1 System 192 990 192 990 Geoffrey Mamputa, Assistant Direc- increased to acknowledge inflation. (estimate) Costs for Phase II are not included as tor of Arts and Culture Water supply 1 System 17 600 17 600 it cannot initially take place, and in- Lungelo Nokwaza, Department of (estimate) creases the cost by only a negligible Social Development margin. Showers 1 Shower 50 000 50 000 Charl Marais, Senior Professional CONCLUSION Curb drop 1 Estimate 6 000 6 000 Officer, City Parks The team has gained an understand- *690 044 Zolisa Pakade, Department of Arts Total Cost ing of the importance of initiation for and Culture the abantu of South Africa and the *Annual costs not included: Langa Sit e Manager currently earns a est. annual wage of R15,0000 Sikelela Zokufa, Traditional Surgeon complexity of the social and political relations between the government and abantu in urban communities that the development of a formal initiation site and a special thanks to Basil Tommy, entails. We expect that the research who was instrumental in helping the and planning that has been completed team set up meetings, and who pro- will ease the process of formalization vided a wealth of knowledge in re- gards to initiation site design. for the Good Hope College Initiation Site and that our project will provide the City of Cape Town with a set of methods and recommendations that will aid in the future formalization of other initiation sites. The team be- lieves that with our methods and rec- ommendations, and the acceptance of the initiation community, the initia- tion ritual will be sustained in urban environments throughout South Af- rica for years to come.

Initiation Pg. 7 REFERENCES 1. Afolayan, F. (2004). Life transition rituals: Initiation into adulthood. Culture and customs of south africa (pp. 216). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. 2. Bottoman, B., Mavundla, T. R., & Toth, F. (2009). Peri-rite psychological is- sues faced by newly initiated traditionally circumcised south african xhosa men. Journal of Men's Health, 6(1), 28-35. doi:DOI: 10.1016/ j.jomh.2008.09.008 3. Central Intelligence Agency. (2010). The world factbook. Retrieved 10/03, 2010, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ index.html 4. Interview (Sep 29th 2010). 5. Karl Peltzer. (2008). Evaluation of a safer male circumcision training pro- gramme for traditional surgeons and nurses in the eastern cape, south africa. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med, 5(4), 346-354. 6. Lauren Alex, Jessy Cusack, Augustina Mills, Alejandro Sosa. Sustainable solu- tions for the development of an eco-village in monwabisi park, cape (Student Report) 7. Meissner, O. (2007). Traditional male circumcision in the eastern cape- scourge or blessing? South African Medical Journal, 97(5), 371. 8. Minutes of the city of cape town inaugural initiation indaba held at fountain hotel (2009). City of Cape Town.

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