Eastern Cape Cooperative Governance MEC, Fikile Xasa, will officially open the winter initiation season next week.
The launch event will include the parading of vehicles to be used for monitoring initiation schools as well as screening of boys by the Department of Health in preparation for the season.
Department spokesperson, Mamkeli Ngam, said the launch has been preceded by province-wide awareness sessions and stakeholder meetings to mobilise support for effective monitoring to register zero deaths this time around.
He said the House of Traditional Leaders had also criss-crossed the Eastern Cape to establish traditional initiation forums in all areas identified as hotspots.
"The message that is coming from MEC Xasa is that we require all hands on the deck. We need to work together to ensure that none of our boys to die during the initiation season, that kind of approach will be followed throughout the year to the Summer initiation season and into the following year. We want to ensure that we unmask the support and we mobilise everybody, every key stakeholder to ensure that we work together to ensure there is zero deaths in the province" he said
Xasa said all stake holders should work together to preserve the old ritual.
"The rite of passage to manhood is a matter for parents, families and various communities of the Province. We intervene because our children are dying and we need more hands to stop these deaths. Masiphathisane," he said.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape police said they've put an operational plan in place to boost the capacity of Initiation Monitoring Teams throughout the province.
Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Celiwe Binta, said the plan would be implemented throughout the all SAPS clusters in the province.
Binta said the SAPS support seeks to guarantee zero deaths from this season going forward.
A joint Operations Centre will be activated in Zwelitsha.
