An unblemished record for initiation school

Every initiation season, scores of initiates die while undergoing traditional circumcision in the Eastern Cape.

However, one initiation school has a 100% graduation record in its five-year history.

Sithembele Yamaphi, 36, an experienced traditional surgeon, established the Embo Madoda Circumcision School, in Emachibini village outside Komani in 2013. To date, not a single initiate has been hospitalised or died under his watch.

While the families of the 19 initiates that died in the province during the winter initiation season – as a result of dehydration, assault and botched circumcision – all 14 initiates Yamaphi looked after went back home healthy and alive.

His initiation school might be fairly new, but Yamaphi has 19 years experience as a traditional surgeon.

So, what’s his secret?

“It is caring, prayer, being hands-on, having a 24-hour supervision team and ensuring that they eat healthy and fresh food.”

Yamaphi said contrary to many traditional nurses depriving initiates of water and feeding them dry food in the belief that that would help them heal faster, he encourages his initiates to drink water.

“We get initiates from all over the country and the busiest we have ever been was last December when we had 48 initiates. They all went home with their manhood intact. We have never sent an initiate to hospital or had a death since we started.

“Some of our initiates suffer from chronic illnesses and their families tell us what kind of diet they must follow. We allow them to bring their treatment to the school and administer it,” said the senior surgeon, adding he also worked with a group of other surgeons.

“Our work does not just start during the circumcision season. During the off-season we plant vegetables to ensure our initiates eat fresh food. We also have awareness campaigns in schools. And for those youths who don’t go to school, we visit sporting clubs for our campaigns. We also get motivational speakers to speak to the initiates before they go home.”

His methods and unblemished record has not gone unnoticed. The Enoch Mgijima circumcision forum chairman Chief Aaron Feni has heaped praise on him, saying Yamaphi’s efforts restored the dignity of the age-old tradition.

Feni said the school came under their radar after allegations of initiates’ ill-treatment.

“We discovered there was jealousy when we went to the school. We interviewed the initiates, asked for records of the school and everything was up to standard.

“We fear in the future the school might not be able to accommodate the numbers of boys whose parents will be bringing them there. As a result, we call on provincial government to visit the school with the intention of supporting it,” Feni said.